Members of the Alliance for a Drug-Free Owensboro and Daviess County are continuing discussions about how best to utilize opioid settlement funds and strengthen efforts to combat substance abuse in the community.
The Alliance is renewing its push to create a transparent advisory council and fund a director-level position tasked with coordinating grant applications, organizing resources, and identifying service gaps — a recommendation members said would help ensure sustainability beyond the limited opioid abatement dollars.
“There was no dissent about the process we recommended,” said Debbie Zuerner of Owensboro Health. “But there were concerns about using funds to create even a temporary position to oversee and coordinate efforts.”
Debate over hiring a full-time leader
A significant portion of the meeting focused on whether the Alliance needs to hire a dedicated staff member. Dr. Wanda Figueroa, River Valley Behavioral Health President/CEO, emphasized that while creating a director role would require an investment, it would position the community to better pursue competitive federal grants, many of which require a local government applicant and are not available to nonprofits.
“These funds are limited and won’t grow over the years,” Figueroa said. “There are other opportunities out there, but unless we have someone ready to identify them and write proposals, we are at a disadvantage.”
However, Daviess County Commissioner Janie Marksberry raised concerns about the financial burden of hiring someone new, questioning why a current member of the Alliance could not take on the responsibility instead of creating a new position. Marksberry also stressed that the County would prefer to contract with an individual or company rather than hire a full-time employee with benefits.
“I think the [Fiscal Court] would be most interested in contracting someone where we don’t have to pay insurance or make them an employee,” Marksberry said.
She added that many Alliance members already possess the necessary knowledge to bring ideas forward without requiring the creation of a new position.
To move discussions forward, Marksberry said she would take back to the County the idea of having the Alliance create a slate of potential candidates to streamline the selection process for a director or coordinator role.
Communication concerns surface
Frustration also surfaced during the meeting over how information about the process has been shared. Several members expressed disappointment that updates about the Alliance’s strategic efforts appeared in media reports before being formally communicated to the group.
Figueroa acknowledged that while there has been no outright rejection of the Alliance’s recommendation from the City or County, the lack of clear communication has created confusion and slowed progress.
“It wasn’t a hard no, and no one asked for more information,” Zuerner said. “But there hasn’t been enough follow-up. We found out about things from the paper, not directly.”
Alliance members emphasized that without a clear and organized process, funding decisions risk being influenced by relationships rather than need.
“If we don’t create a process, we’ll see dollars distributed at will because someone knows somebody,” Zuerner said.
Drug-related crime data underscores urgency
Data shared at the meeting showed 315 drug-related offenses were reported in Owensboro from January 1 through March 31, 2025, including:
- 64 alcohol intoxication cases
- 54 DUIs
- 58 marijuana-related offenses (44 for possession, 14 for trafficking)
- 13 synthetic cannabinoid offenses
- 30 controlled substance offenses, including 17 fentanyl-related cases
- 15 marijuana offenses involving teens
Police also seized over 33,000 grams of marijuana, nearly 35 grams of synthetic drugs, and 8 grams of other narcotics during the first quarter, according to stats reviewed by the Alliance. The Owensboro Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) reported 28 drug arrests, along with seizures of 201.3 grams of meth, 8.1 grams of cocaine, 42.5 grams of fentanyl, and over $12,700 in cash, the stats showed.
Next steps remain uncertain
To date, no formal communication has been made by local governments regarding next steps, but the Alliance plans to continue pushing for a defined process and to possibly revisit conversations with City and County leaders.
“We have great intentions and good ideas,” Figueroa said. “But if we want to create lasting change, we need to strategically align our resources, our knowledge, and our authority.”
The Alliance will meet again next month to continue refining its strategic plan and building momentum for a more organized response to the region’s ongoing battle with substance abuse.
