July 15, 2025 Minutes

Weld Regional Opioid Council Meeting

Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, Room 103
1555 North 17th Avenue, Greeley CO 80631
July 15, 2025 @ 9:00 am to 12:00 am


Voting Council Members in Attendance: Kim Mihm (Windsor); Scott James (Weld County Commission); Amy Anderson (Ault); Bob McDonald (WCDPHE); Matt Elbe (WCSO); John Gates (Greeley); Zo Hubbard (Fort Lupton); Julie Witkoski (Weld County Dept. of Human Services); David Angelo (Firestone PD); Michael Pirraglia (District Attorney Office)  

Advisory and Non-Council Members in Attendance: Cathy Hoover (WCDPHE); Robyn Winters (Stout Street); Deidre Tygart (Stout Street); Heidi Christiansen (YOLO Foundation); Shelby Robbins (Antelope Recovery); James Delaney (FullCircle Program); Dayna DeHerrera-Smith (PorchLight Health); Adria Schiel (Weld County Attorney); Kelley McCandless (WCDPHE); MJ Jorgensen (North Colorado Health Alliance); Louis Piotti (S.A.F.E.); Kyle Higgins (NeverLost Nonprofit); Bill Fritz (WCDPHE); Izzy Pike (Colorado Health Network); Rebecca McLaughlin (Colorado Health Network); Mark Pollard (WCSO); Dana Johnson (North Range Behavioral Health)


Minutes

  1. Introductions and Opening Remarks: Bob McDonald, Bill Fritz, Kelley McCandless
    • Bob McDonald: Reminded that, moving forward, all funds must be for purposes explicitly allowed by Exhibit E.
      • It remains unclear if the Colorado Opioid Abatement Council plans to allow expenditures that have already been approved for 2025; that decision should be made in the next month or so.
    • Encouraged council members to utilize coordinator etc. to maximize impact of the council.
    • Bill Fritz: updated on RFP budget guidelines, reminded that invoices were due later that day.
    • Kelley McCandless: briefly updated council on RFP process.
  2. Vote: Approve Minutes from April Meeting
    • Motion to approve by Mayor Gates, seconded by Kim Mihm, approved unanimously.
  3. Presentations from Past and Prospective Grantees
    • Each organization allowed five minutes to present with up to three minutes for questions from council.

      · Colorado Health Network: Izzy Pike, Rebecca McLaughlin

      · S.A.F.E. : Louis Piotti

      · North Range Behavioral Health: Dana Johnson

      · NeverLost Nonprofit: Kyle Higgins

      · Antelope Recovery: Shelby Robbins

      · North Colorado Health Alliance: MJ Jorgensen

      · Stout Street Recovery: Robyn Winters, Deidre Tygart

      · PorchLight Health: Dayna DeHerrera-Smith

      · Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment: Cathy Hoover

      · YOLO Foundation: Heidi Christensen

  4. Discussion: Scoring
    • Bob McDonald: reviewed last year’s scoring system
    • Kim Mihm: expressed support for last year’s percentage-based system
    • Discussion of virtual vs. in-person scoring and approval:
      • Recommended in-person scoring meeting for subcommittee members and Teams meeting for all voting members to approve recommendations.
    • Chief Angelo: expressed importance of addressing potential conflicts of interest
      • Disclosure and abstaining from scoring and voting on own proposal approved by the council.
    • Scoring committee volunteers: Bob McDonald, Julie Witkowski, Amy Anderson, David Angelo, Kim Mihm, and Zo Hubbard
    • Motion to create scoring committee by Chief Angelo, seconded by Kim Mihm, unanimously approved.
  5. Discussion: Vacancies
    • Bob McDonald: asked council members to begin considering how vacancies should be filled as certain council members will no longer be eligible at the end of the year.
  6. Adjourn
    • Motion to adjourn by Mayor Gates, seconded by Chief Angelo, approved.

    • Link to recorded meeting available on request: kmccandless@weld.gov

Next Meeting:  Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 @ 10:00 am at 1555 N 17th Avenue, Greeley, CO (Room 103 or via Microsoft Teams)