BUCKHANNON — Last Tuesday evening, the Buckhannon City Council held a brief meeting, receiving updates on a proposed scholarship initiative for addiction counseling and a national accreditation report for the Buckhannon Police Department.
City Attorney Tom O’Neill presented an update on a potential partnership with West Virginia Wesleyan College to support scholarships for students pursuing addiction counseling, funded through the city’s opioid settlement funds.
“What Wesleyan is requesting is an allocation of $50,000 for the 2025–2026 academic year,” O’Neill said. “That would fund 10 scholarships as well as some public communication efforts that go along with that.”
The proposed scholarships would be targeted toward individuals who live or work in Buckhannon. According to O’Neill, recipients living and working in the city would receive $4,500, while those working in Buckhannon but residing elsewhere would be eligible for $3,500.
Additional financial support is already in place. Community Care has committed $2,000 per student, and West Virginia Wesleyan College has pledged to reduce the program’s cost by 15% for scholarship recipients.
“What they would propose is that we look at that model for two years,” O’Neill said. “So $50,000 for 2025–2026 and $50,000 for the 2026–2027 academic year.”
Because the item was not listed on the evening’s agenda, no official action was taken. Council will revisit the request at its first meeting in July.
In departmental updates, Buckhannon Police Chief Matt Gregory reported on the agency’s recent accreditation assessments conducted by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).
Image © Kelton Cowger | Mountaineer Journal
“We had a Year Four web assessment in February as well as an on-site assessment in late March,” Gregory said. “We received the report here recently, and by all appearances, it’s a very good report.”
Gregory read a quote from the final assessment highlighting the department’s commitment to modern law enforcement standards:
“The Buckhannon Police Department is an agency that has embraced professional and best practices as it continues to serve its community in many different ways. The innovative programming, collaborative partnerships and excellent leadership reflect some of the best outcomes in modern-day professional law enforcement.”
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for early July. City agendas, ordinances, and minutes can be accessed on the City of Buckhannon’s official website.
