MUNCIE, Ind. — Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour has appointed Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman to the Opioid Fund Advisory Committee established earlier this year on April 7. The appointment of Hoffman was made on October 28, along with Linda Daniel, Program Director at IU Health Ball Addiction Treatment and Recover Center, and Dwayne Wiggans, former Winchester Fire Chief.

The committee was established in April through a resolution sponsored by City Council-member Sara Gullion. At the same meeting an ordinance was passed 5-4 to use over $500,000 in Opioid Settlement funds for public safety pay raises instead of addiction services. Gullion, who joined three other members to vote against the ordinance, hoped that establishing the committee would make recommendations for the remaining funds. The three appointments by council were Cory Matters, Abby Gluvna, and Neil Kring. Ridenour’s Communication Director Amber Greene has not confirmed the name of the additional member chosen by the six appointees, and Ridenour himself will serve as a non-voting ex-officio member.

Since March, Ridenour has not made committee appointments public. Over the summer Ridenour made three appointments to the Muncie Human Rights Commission, Steve Sneed, Michele Owen, and Gretchen Cheesman, without announcements made either through press releases or social media. Ridenour is expected to soon make an appointment replacing former Human Rights Commission President SteVen Knipp. While Knipp was previously appointed by council, making his replacement a council appointment instead of a mayoral appointment, Ridenour is choosing the replacement due to council making an additional HRC appointment earlier this year.