Public Hearing on Ordinance A2602 for Opioid Settlement Funds Allocation for Cooling Centers - June 1, 2026
Public Hearing on Ordinance A2602 for Opioid Settlement Funds Allocation for Cooling Centers
On June 1, 2026, at 6:45 PM in the council chambers, the council held a public hearing to discuss ordinance A2602, which appropriates unrestricted opioid settlement funds for cooling center operations during the summer. The hearing included public comment and was adjourned after a motion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kathy Higgins, program director for Love Unlimited Community Outreach, spoke. She asked whether funding could be directed to organizations like hers that serve affected populations. She noted that her organization is already involved in the cooling center effort, responsible for one day of operations. The council member (chair) responded by clarifying that the hearing is specifically for the cooling center allocation and that a future application process will be available through the Public Health and Welfare Committee, chaired by Ms. Carrier.
Discussion Items
- Council member (chair) explained the purpose of the hearing: to allocate opioid settlement funds for cooling centers, which will include counseling and related services. He directed Ms. Higgins to the future committee process for broader organizational funding.
- No other public comments were made.
Key Outcomes
- A motion to adjourn the public hearing was made by Mr. Fitzgerald, seconded by Ms. Golman, and passed unanimously by voice vote (all ayes). No vote was taken on the ordinance itself; the hearing was for discussion only. The council noted a 10-minute break before the next meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Oh, okay. Pretty much. That is a good point. So we're gone. We don't know what the secretary is for the council. All right. Good evening. We will call to order the public hearing to discuss A2602, an ordinance for appropriation of unrestricted opioid settlement funds for today's date at 645 here in the council chambers. And we'll begin with just seeing if there's any public comment on this item. You can if you would like. Yes. Come forward, state your name. I'm sorry. You're fine. My name is Kathy Higgins. I am the program director for Love Unlimited Community Outreach. We serve a meal to anybody who needs one every Saturday. Um to make sure that it goes, it's at least going directly to the people that are affected. So that's why I'm here. Yeah. So I'll interject here that as the short answer is yes, there could be the potential for opioid uh settlement funding uh to be divvied out to or other organizations such as yourself. Um this request uh is obviously done with the intention to provide assistance to uh essentially cooling um uh throughout the cooling location uh throughout the summer and as part of that uh correct me if I misspeak on anything, Miss Carrier. Um as part of that there will be some counseling and and related services made available to anyone who would need that there. There will be a future uh call uh that the public health and uh welfare committee of the council is working toward which will uh allow for organizations in the community to put forward an application and go through a process. Uh and I would direct you back to that committee and Ms. Caller as the chair of that committee uh for for handling a new application if you've got uh one from your organization. Okay. All right. So then is this meeting just to talk about the allocation for the cooling centers? Yep, it's public hearing just for the allocation for the cooling center purposes. Okay, good, because we are in we are involved in that. There's one day that Love Unlimited is taken to be responsible. Um Pastor Paul, who I think talked to you all about this, is at the library board meeting. Um so uh anyway, I'll just listen from here. I'll do that that made it clear. Nope. Thank you so much. Helps it out. I'll talk to you later about that. All right. Uh so uh seeing that there's no other public in the room. I'll just uh uh make one last call, and if not, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn the public hearing for uh this item on A2602. So move. Have a motion by Mr. Fitzgerald, a second by Miss Golman. Uh all in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed. The public hearing is adjourned. Thank you.
openpublica.com