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Harrison County approves majority of $306,151 opioid fund allocations, puts five requests on hold pending accounting
Summary
The Harrison County Commission approved most of a $306,151.10 opioid-settlement disbursement list but agreed to withhold funds for five organizations until staff receives updated spending reports; commissioners urged better accounting before further awards.
Harrison County commissioners approved the bulk of a proposed $306,151.10 distribution of opioid-settlement funds on Dec. 17 but placed five applicants on hold while staff gathers updated accounting from grant recipients.
Commissioner David introduced a set of proposed awards that included increases for several prior recipients and specific amounts for new and continuing programs. He told colleagues the list reflects prior practice but said several organizations either had not reported how they spent earlier awards or appeared to have remaining balances.
Staff member (speaker 9) said not every recipient submitted exact remaining-balance figures for the June reporting period the county must pass through to its foundation and that some ongoing programs (especially payroll-funded programs) could show leftover funds if hiring lagged.
After discussion, the commission voted to move forward with the allocations David proposed for most organizations while placing five entities on hold pending updated financial reports. Commissioners identified the groups to be held for follow-up as two churches (listed on the packet), Game Changers, Clarksburg Mission, and one item tied to public defender services; staff was directed to return updated spreadsheets at the next regular meeting.
The approved items named in the meeting discussion included (amounts as discussed by the commission): North Central West Virginia Homeless Coalition — $25,000; Health Access — $30,000; Stars and Strides — $25,000; Change Initiative — $40,000; Public defender support — $50,000. Commissioners said those amounts were their working numbers during the meeting and that final disbursements would be subject to administrative processing.
Commissioners and staff emphasized the need for clearer reporting on how previously awarded opioid funds were spent. "They should be able to give us the information," one commissioner said in debate, urging staff to collect up-to-date accounting so the commission can reconsider hold items at its next meeting.
The meeting record does not show individual roll-call vote tallies; motions on the distribution carried with no opposition voiced aloud.
The commission directed staff to obtain updated spending reports from the held applicants and to notify the five groups that their awards are pending; the commission will revisit the held items at the January meeting if necessary.
