Public commenters urge using opioid funds now; one speaker alleges rigged compensation study

Two members of the public spoke during the meeting’s public-comment period.

Trevor Davis (District 6) spoke first and urged the council not to move $2 million into an interest-bearing account. Davis said the amount exceeds the opioid-abatement commission’s 10 percent recommendation and argued the city should use more settlement funds now to address the current crisis while still planning for future receipts. Davis offered calculations he said illustrate the earnings potential but said prioritizing immediate crisis response aligns with the commission’s and mayoral recommendations. He concluded his remarks by noting community partners’ interest in available grant programs.

Rick Day (District 3) followed with a sharper critique of city administration. Day alleged the results of the city’s compensation study were manipulated and described the matter as “financial fraud” at a high level in the administration; he said prior council motions to investigate were made twice and not acted on. Day said his concern stems from about 1,500 employees who did not receive purportedly rigged benefits and urged further scrutiny.

The council did not take action on either public comment during the work session; the comments were recorded for the public record.