00;00;00;05 - 00;00;15;16
Stephanie Wiechmann
The passed ordinance uses more than $526,000 in unrestricted funds from the state opioid settlement to pay for raises this year only, according to City Deputy Comptroller Matt Wagley. Using the money came up in negotiations with police and fire unions.

00;00;15;19 - 00;00;32;02
Matt Wagley
“If we don’t have this funding, we can’t pay for the contracts. If we can’t pay for the contracts, the mayor may have to declare an economic emergency. And if he does that, we have to break the contracts with the police and fire unions.”

00;00;32;04 - 00;00;39;09
Stephanie Wiechmann
Council member Nora Powell says the council wasn't told when it approved contracts last month that it would require using the opioid funds.

00;00;39;12 - 00;00;53;08
Nora Powell
Both sides are very deserving. The police should not have to get up here and argue why they deserve 5%, because you do, and the community should not have to to plead their case for prevention services.

00;00;53;11 - 00;01;11;19
Stephanie Wiechmann
The council took a failed vote to table the ordinance before narrowly approving it 5 to 4. Muncie received more than $1.13 million in restricted funds this year, which is supposed to be used for opioid abatement programs. On Monday night, by a unanimous vote, the city council created an advisory committee to help decide how to spend that money.

00;01;11;21 - 00;01;14;17
Stephanie Wiechmann
In Muncie. Stephanie Wiechmann, IPR news.