Muncie Board approves claims and board member praises use of opioid-settlement funds for recovery program

The Muncie Board of Public Works and Safety voted unanimously April 8 to approve the April 1 minutes and the register of claims after a brief presentation by City Controller Craig Wright.

City Controller Craig Wright told the board he had distributed the claims list the day before and described the register as including several larger claims, sponsorship payments and routine utility bills. "I sent out the claims yesterday afternoon," Wright said, and invited questions from the board.

A board member praised the use of opioid-settlement funds, saying it was "so good to see the use of the opioid money...used for what it was supposed to be used for," and noted that funds appear to be supporting a recovery program. The comment was made during the discussion of the register of claims; no motions or formal actions tied specifically to opioid-settlement expenditures were recorded at the meeting.

A motion to approve the register of claims was made and seconded; the board indicated assent and the motion carried. The member who moved the motion and the member who seconded were not named on the record. The motion approving claims recorded the dollar amount as stated in the hearing record; the transcript renders the figure as "$365,68220." It appears this was intended as $365,682.20, but the amount is reported here as stated in the meeting record.

The board had no additional new business. The chair said next week's meeting will be longer because bids are scheduled. The chair then adjourned the session.

City Controller Craig Wright was the only staff member who spoke at length; other remarks were procedural or brief, including roll call responses from Ted Baker and Mau Alan Wisley.

The board did not take any additional votes or direct staff to take follow-up actions during the meeting.