Commissioners Vote Today On Opioid Committee

Washington County Commissioners will vote this morning on an Opioid Settlement Review Committee. The board will consist of seven appointees that will serve one year terms. According to Commissioner Nick Sherman, the board is made up of addiction counselors, a school district superintendent, and law enforcement professionals among others. Commissioner Larry Maggi says that he is pleased with the make up of the board. He calls it a good blend of people from all over Washington County. He says that the board will now bring transparency to the award process that is much clearer that having a few county employees offering recommendations. Appointed to the committee; Dr. John Tamiggi, Director of Washington County Human Services, Dan Buzzard, Washington County Court Administrator, Teresa Cypher, a licensed professional counselor and operator of Turning Point II, Ed Zelich, Superintendent of Charleroi School District, Amy Podgurski-Gough, Community Coordinator of Teen Outreach, Joe Glover, Chief of Peters Township Police, and Aliesha Walz, Executive Director of the Washington County Community Foundation. Sherman says that the board will serve one year terms. The formation of the committee is a result of 17 recommended programs by Washington County being called into question by the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse And Abatement Trust late last year. That board rejected 8 grants outright and called another 9 grants still under consideration. There has been no update on the status of those decisions.