Bonney Lake seeks clearer representation on regional opioid-abatement council; chair to raise issue at council

A council member raised concerns May 12 that Bonney Lake may not be represented at the regional opioid abatement council meetings that help allocate pooled funds. She said the council had previously pooled small local deposits so partners could fund larger programs and asked whether local participation is required to use the money. "Do we have to be a part of this abatement council in order to get the money?" she asked.

Committee members said representation matters because Bonney Lake contributed funds and should have input on how the money is used. The chair said she would raise the matter at full council and asked whether a council member could attend; she noted the abatement council meets twice a year and said she will follow up.

Separately, the chair reported she had contacted the local prosecutor's office to ask about recent 'decline' sheets—documents explaining why prosecutors decline to charge certain cases—and invited the prosecutor to provide information to the committee. She named Will Gunderson (and referenced a family practice of prosecutors) as a contact and said she would meet the prosecutor to discuss charging trends and possible presentations to the committee.

The committee made no formal decisions; staff and council will follow up about representation on the abatement council and a potential prosecutor briefing.