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Evansville council adopts amended finance ordinance amid public outcry over opioid and ARPA grants
Summary
The Evansville Common Council on Sept. 23 approved an amended finance ordinance moving ARPA interest and opioid settlement funds into city accounts for spending, despite public criticism that the award process favored hospitals and law enforcement over grassroots harm‑reduction groups.
The Evansville Common Council voted 7–1 on Sept. 23 to adopt an amended finance ordinance (F‑2024‑11) that transfers and appropriates funds across multiple city accounts, including interest earned on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) proceeds and allocations from opioid settlement funds.
City Controller Robert Gunter detailed the ordinance and its amendments, asking the council to approve additional appropriations and inter‑fund transfers. Highlights included $12,300 to cover shortfalls in animal control; a $33,866.89 public‑safety grant for police broken into equipment, services, repairs, uniforms and advertising; and two transfers of $221,000 in ARPA interest that the administration said would be used to buy vehicles for the police and fire departments (the staff estimate was approximately five to six vehicles for each department). Gunter also described a $770,190.70 Community Crossing reimbursement designated for paving, and a $320,000 federal reimbursement to cover construction engineering for the Walnut Street project.
The ordinance also allocates…
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