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The rest of Charleston’s opioid settlement funds, which likely will total $8 million to $9 million, will be used to fund the city’s CARE Office, which provides resources to people in Charleston, including those with a substance use disorder.

An Opioid Community Council, made up of nine people appointed by Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin, will decide which projects to fund. Their processes will be overseen by United Way.

OCC members

Monday night, the Charleston City Council approved Goodwin’s appointments. The OCC must have at least one of the following:

• Professional with experience in opioid abuse prevention, treatment or recovery 
• Person in long-term recovery from an opioid-use disorder

Here’s who’s in the group:

Matthew Sutton — chairman (one-year term)

Matthew Sutton is Goodwin's chief of staff. He also was part of the advisory committee to bring Recovery Point to Charleston and previously served on the Recovery Point West Virginia board.

Sutton said his experience as chief of staff gives him a "broad understanding" of everything happening in the city and the feedback that citizens give. He said he'd like to see a "strong mix" of applications dealing with prevention, treatment and recovery.

"I'm intrigued to see what ideas come around about prevention," he said.

Cynthia Persily — professional, working in prevention (two-year term)

Cynthia Persily is the senior associate dean for Government Affairs and Healthcare Policy at Marshall University. Previously, she was the secretary of the Department of Human Services from July 2023 to January 2025. She has also worked as the CEO of Highland Hospital, a Charleston mental health facility, and for West Virginia University.

Martha Carter — professional, working in treatment (two-year term)

Martha Carter works as a consultant for the federal Health Resources and Services Administration that connects people to affordable health care. She is the former CEO of .

"While I was CEO of FamilyCare Health Centers ... we developed and implemented a comprehensive addiction treatment program, focusing on Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid use disorder," she said in a statement.

With the  where she volunteers, she has published three papers about what helps people dealing with substance abuse get into treatment and what helps them stay in treatment.

In a statement, Carter said she also has experience reviewing grant applications for both private and public grants and working in Medicaid policy.

Ashley McElwee — in long-term recovery (one-year term)

Ashley McElwee worked with Goodwin to create the OCC. She is a peer recovery support specialist and community health worker who works for WV PEERS, a division of West Virginia Sober Living Solutions.

In a statement, McElwee said she was a person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder who has worked in "boots-on-the-ground community outreach in Charleston" for more than four years.

"I get to work daily with the people these funds are meant to help, and I'm familiar with where resource gaps can be strengthened," she said. "In my experience, people do best when met with compassion and evidence-based practices. I believe in the strength of our community and what we can achieve when we hear from people from all walks of life."

Sarah Stone — in long-term recovery (two-year term)

Sarah Stone is the co-director of , a community organization that supports those impacted by drug use. She is also in long-term recovery from an opioid use disorder.

"That lived and living experience gives me an understanding of what’s at stake in terms of people’s lives," she said in a statement. "I know how essential dignity, respect, and access are, especially in communities that have been hit hardest."

Brian Lilly (one-year term)

Brian Lilly is the vice president of Quality, Safety and Service Lines for ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Medicine | Thomas Hospitals.

Emily Hanna (one-year term)

Emily Hanna is the Government Relations director for the . She has previously worked for Cabin Creek Health Systems and for Charleston’s CARE Office.

In a statement, Hanna said she has a master's degree in Public Administration and Policy and has worked in state and local health policy for the past 10 years. She is on the board for Cabin Creek Health and has led its Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Program.

"I am excited to embark on this process of ensuring these funds are thoughtfully and deliberately distributed to a variety of prevention, treatment and recovery efforts that directly impact our community that has been so adversely affected by opioid use," she said.

Will Thompson (two-year term)

Will Thompson is the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. He also worked as a circuit court judge in Boone County where he presided over the first family treatment court in West Virginia. He currently works as an attorney for Spilman Thomas & Battle and as dean of students for Appalachian School of Law.

Thompson said in a statement that he was involved in dealing with the "effects of our addiction crisis" for the bulk of his professional career, including "the first case in the country that dealt with the pharmaceutical distributors and their impact on the opioid crisis. Generally, I think that prevention is a good use of resources, although treatment should remain a priority as well."

Bill Woodrum (two-year term)

Bill Woodrum is the senior program officer for the , a philanthropic organization that awards grants in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. He has previously worked for the West Virginia Development Office and the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center.

Nomination process

Monday night, Charleston resident Dr. Norman Montalto told the City Council he was concerned about the nomination process. Montalto, who is a local physician, was also concerned about the lack of physicians on the OCC.

“There is no transparency in the nomination process,� he said. “To call this a Community Opioid Council is a misnomer.�

Sutton, speaking to the Gazette-Mail Monday, said the OCC was put together in a similar way to other city committees made of non-councilmembers. Some people reached out to the mayor about being on the committee, and she reached out to others.

Sutton said the first meeting of the OCC is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 11, afternoon.

Other actions

Also Monday, the council approved:

• The five-year plan and action plan for certain Housing and Urban Development grants
• $489,000 for a pumper truck for the Street Department, primarily to clear drains
• $137,000 for a backhoe for the Street Department
• $36,000 for a greens mower for the Cato Park Golf Course
• $26,000 for mowers for Parks and Recreation