Lewisburg City Council discusses harm reduction strategies and more

LEWISBURG W.Va (WVDN) – The Lewisburg City Council discussed various improvement projects and contract renewals, including a request for a green space renovation fund, a ‘Monday Mashup’ event in downtown Lewisburg, and the approval of the literary festival request at its recent meeting. Council also discussed the importance of providing harm reduction services to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, regarding needle sharing among IV drug users. Also addressed were issues related to the renovation and maintenance of City Hall, including updating the survey, donating a recycling truck, and approving police department buyout agreements. The Council approved various contract renewals, line item transfers and more.

City Council resolutions and ordinances, including water treatment plant improvement projects and stormwater management study, continue to make headway. Invoices for the ongoing work were approved for payment in Resolution 554.

Discussions regarding Ordinance 319: Taken from the city’s website and explained as “CHAPTER 3 ARTICLE 1331: PURPOSE AND INTRODUCTION Section 1331.01 Title. This ordinance shall be known as the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Lewisburg, West Virginia, hereinafter referred to as ‘this code’ or ‘this ordinance.’ Section 1331.03 Authority. Whereas, by act of the West Virginia State Legislature, as recorded in the West Virginia Code, the governing body of any county or municipality may, by ordinance, classify the territory under its jurisdiction into districts of such number, shape, and size as it may deem best suited to carry out the purpose of zoning. Section 1331.05 Purpose. This code is consistent with the City of Lewisburg Comprehensive Plan and was developed to promote the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the public. Other purposes of this ordinance include: a. To plan so that adequate light, air, convenience of access, and safety from fire, flood, and other danger is secured; b. To ensure attractiveness and convenience is promoted; c. To lessen congestion; d. To preserve historic landmarks, sites, districts, and buildings; e. To preserve agricultural land; and f. To promote the orderly development of land” regarding the Historic landmark grant for property survey.”

Dr. Bridget Morrison spoke to the Council regarding Harm Reduction Strategies and IV drug users. Discussed was an arrangement for needles to be recycled. According to Morrison, a user who has a needle will most likely use the needle again or share it with another user, for supposed lack of obtaining new or clean needles. One harm reduction strategy is to provide a recycling program for used needles. Bring back your needle and you will get more, clean needles as a one-to-one ratio. You bring back one used needle for one clean needle.

Morrison mentioned that “This [harm reduction plan stems back to] the 1960s from the Black Panther movement as far as education and meals in schools. In the feminist movement in the 70s with women in reproductive health, and obviously in the 80s, with the HIV pandemic that started. Essentially, it’s based on the fact that we know that drugs, for better or for worse, are always going to be a part of our society. No matter what we legalize, analyze [or] whatever we do, there’s always going to be some sort of illicit [behaviors.]  And so it’s not necessarily condoning it, but it’s accepting people for where they are in their stage of life, and trying to reduce the negative consequences of IV drug use. And it’s not just IV drug use, obviously, any substance abuse, but specifically IV drug use is where we really focus. [If you’re] an IV drug user, then there are safe ways to do that. One, they don’t get or obtain an infectious disease, and two, that they don’t spread the diseases. In that process, maybe we can get them access to care. We can get them with preventative medicine. We can help reduce the stigma. We can get them behavioral health, mental health, regular medical attention. We can give them access to condoms, to contraception. We can test them so they know their status and give them links to care, whether it’s hepatitis C,syphilis, HIV, whatever it may be. We do Naloxone training so that we can prevent overdoses and deaths.”

Providing more avenues to access and get Naloxone into the hands of more residents is one way to help. If you happen upon an unconscious, potential overdose, a trained individual with the medication, may save a life.

Morrison also said, “Interestingly enough, globally, there are an estimated  11 million IV drug users. And of those 11 million IV drug users, one in each has HIV and about 40% have hepatitis C. Those statistics are huge. But how does that relate to West Virginia?  West Virginia leads the nation in acute HIV and acute Hepatitis C cases. We also are really high up there in syphilis right now, and it all tends to surround this population of IV drug users. And so if that person is sharing drugs, if they’re sharing these syringes, and obviously infected, the [spread will happen]. [Looking at WV statistics] in 2019 Greenbrier County was ranked as number three in the entire state for the next HIV outbreak. Why? Because of IV drug use. Two years ago, there were almost 20 to 30 harm reduction programs in the state. The legislative process made some really strict rules and some heavy permit funding. And so from that drop down to about eight in a time when we really need more. We have Seneca Healthcare and peer support to help.”

If you are out and about and find a syringe, please call the Greenbrier County Health Department at 304-645-1787 and someone will come get it, safely. Take pictures in case it’s needed. In 2022, the number of deaths in West Virginia due to overdose was up 54% but some of the highest in the nation. Since then, figures have dropped, but not significantly. Researching online statistics it is found that “In 2021, the CDC determined fatal overdoses claimed more than 1,417 West Virginia lives, with 1,201 attributed to opioids.The next evolution of the drug crisis in the country is filtering into West Virginia. Arriving in 2021, It is called “tranq” or “tranq dope” or “zombie drug” and its primary ingredient is xylazine, an animal tranquilizer. Drug dealers are mixing xylazine with fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, and the effects are devastating. It is not known if WV participates in The Overdose Mapping and Application Program (ODMAP) which  provides near real-time suspected overdose surveillance data to support public safety and public health efforts in mobilizing an immediate response to a sudden increase or spike in overdose events.” Here is one website that gives a comprehensive look at why West Virginia is leading the Nation in drug and opioid deaths and overdoses: https://www.pyramid-healthcare.com/a-look-at-the-west-virginia-opioid-epidemic/.

In other discussions, approval for a new hire to The Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, Jacob Thomas is welcomed to the force. Talks regarding offsetting his $18,000 training fees were also heard. The City has secured Cyber Insurance with a policy payout amount of $3 million. Also, greenspace renovations and upgrades in the amount of $7,000 were approved and Shannon Beatty presented a contract for a survey of historic landmarks, with estimated costs ranging from $40,000 to $60,000. The subject was tabled (allowing time to further research or investigate) by Council members due to a lack of information on what the renovations and repairs to historic homes in the district would entail.

Talks of the need for renovations to city hall regarding tiling and resurfacing the hardwood floors were introduced. Considerations for more electric car charging stations in Lewisburg ended with the fact that the free charging station at the Greenspace/City National Bank lot will no longer be free of charge, nor will the new additions if they come to life. Conversations about the lack of dining options on Mondays were had. To combat this issue, a “Monday Mashup” idea was introduced by the Council. Allowing a special ordinance to “provide six spaces for food trucks to operate and sell to the public. We could put several in front of Carnegie Hall and New River, and we would put a couple in the green space parking lot. It would only be on Mondays from 10 to three. (hours may be adjusted for peak dining times) The cost would be $20 to get a parking space. It was requested that it would be a rotating food truck list so you could not purchase every Monday to be in that spot. It would be a rotating list so that we can get different vendors every Monday. It is asked that this be a trial basis, to see how it will be perceived.” This event should be ready sometime in July and you can follow the City’s Facebook page or social media to learn more.

Some discussions regarding Air BnBs and one case in particular is regarding the property at 1546b Washington Street and Patrick Shay. It was a short-term rental but without a business license or a pending application for one, nor was it in accordance with the zoning laws. No new Air BnBs will be allowed within the city.

The Parks and Recreation Council Member Sarah Elkins, spoke on special event field reservations. Charging a nominal fee for the usage, but not to take funds away from the non-profit organizations when the event benefits their agenda and the public need. Elkins proposed, “We want to be able to not charge anything, because the nonprofit has raised money for the cost. We have had some individuals that have rented our fields for $10 and then use them as private fundraisers for things like beach trips, and we want to be able to because we also don’t want to make money off of our parks. It’s a service that we provide the public. We don’t want private individuals to make money off of our parks either, and so we have established a $250 fee to rent if you are a for profit entity or an individual, anyone who doesn’t have a nonprofit status is $250 to rent the field, and the Parks Commission reserves the right to waive that charge for any individual. For example, someone might be doing a fundraiser to help someone with cancer treatment, and they aren’t a nonprofit, but we want to be able to waive that fee for that case, and that’ll be vetted through the Parks Commission.”

In closing news, the donation of a recycling truck to Greenworks was not allowed per code 88-12.88 of state law that states “no donations by the municipal governments can donate to a non-profit organization.” This agenda item will be revisited by the Council. The WVSOM School has asked for help with police presence until they can build their own police force. The consideration is for an officer to be supplied to them at $45 per day (this may change) on an as-needed basis. This too is scheduled for a public hearing soon.

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