MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council voted Tuesday night to table a proposed ordinance that would have banned the distribution and dispensing of Narcan on city property, following impassioned public comment and a lengthy debate among council members who agreed on the medication’s life-saving value but differed on its placement and policy.
The ordinance, which included exceptions for first responders and public health agencies, was introduced after a Narcan vending machine was removed from the Moses Lake Public Library earlier this week. The machine’s removal followed months of community debate and input from both supporters and opponents of its location.
During the public comment period, residents urged the council to consider the needs of the entire community. “As a council person, your position is meant to serve the community and we thank you for your service,” said Paul Nalen, a Moses Lake resident. “Your job is to carry out the will of the majority. You abuse your power if you only listen to the few. Everyone within the city are your neighbors and I’d ask you to please act accordingly here forth.”
The Narcan issue drew a wide range of perspectives. Debbie Duran Martinez, CEO of the Moses Lake Chamber & Commerce told the council, “We’ve elected you to set good policy to move our community forward in a good way. I just don’t feel the public library is the appropriate place for [a Narcan machine], so I would hope that you would set good policy to carry our community into the future with that in mind.”
John Schapman, executive director for Thriving Together North Central Washington, announced that his organization would remove the Narcan vending machine from the library in response to community feedback. “Our primary goal has always been clear: to save lives by ensuring equitable access to opioid overdose reversal medication,” Schapman said. “It was never our intent to create controversy.”
Several healthcare professionals and residents emphasized the importance of Narcan access, especially as fentanyl overdoses rise. Dr. Natalie Paluch, a pediatrician at Confluence Health, urged the council not to prohibit Narcan distribution on city property. “Narcan is easy to administer, it’s an opioid reversal agent that has been shown to save lives when given promptly in an opioid overdose,” Paluch said. “It’s really important to keep the people in our community safe by having Narcan available.”
Pamela Ackerman, a Moses Lake resident and medical professional, said, “The window between the time a person begins to overdose and the time that they expire depends upon the opioid they have ingested. Specifically referring to fentanyl, that window is very small and fentanyl is the overriding problem drug in our area right now.”
Pastor Jose Uresti, who leads Life Church 360, shared his personal story of recovery and called for faith-based and community collaboration. “Every life does matter and I do believe that our local churches and leadership within our communities need to come together and have resources for the addicted but also the families,” Uresti said. “I come from recovery, I was over 20 years in addiction and homeless living on the streets. We planted a church here in Moses Lake two years ago and we are actively working with the Oxford homes with men in recovery at this moment. There is hope for us and so whatever you guys need from us, we’re here to partner with those that have the heart.”
Other residents, including Joseph Moriarty, highlighted the record number of overdose deaths in the community this year and called for expanded prevention efforts, especially for youth. “Eighteen lives have been lost so far this year, on pace to surpass last year’s record-breaking number,” Moriarty said. “Prevention needs to be increased for the youth and young adults regarding the dangers of fentanyl.”
In closing, Teresa Atkinson, administrator of the Grant County Health District, urged the council to table the proposed Narcan ordinance, warning of unintended consequences for public health efforts. “Please don’t limit our ability. You asked that we do public health and you do your community service, so just don’t hinder that ability for us to do that work,” Atkinson said.
Council members acknowledged Narcan’s value but disagreed on city policy. “I don’t think there’s any discussion as far as the value of Narcan,” said Council Member David Skaug. “We know that’s a life-saving issue. But I think it was important that all voices were heard and that a decision was made to have that relocated. This ordinance gets a little muddy in my mind… I think it’s moot. I don’t think we need the ordinance.”
Council Member Don Myers argued that having Narcan available in public spaces like the library could save lives, especially among youth. “Over 700 teens in the U.S. died from overdoses, most from fentanyl, a drug that only takes 2 milligrams to kill,” Myers said. “If one child overdoses in the library bathroom and we didn’t have Narcan available, could we live with that? I’d rather it be there and not need it than need it and not have it.”
Council Member Deanna Martinez, a registered nurse, stressed the need for Narcan to be accessible. “It’s not just a drug user or a homeless person that you think of. These are people that have jobs, they dress in a suit every day… and might need Narcan,” Martinez said. “Let’s help each other out by allowing Narcan where it’s needed, and that might just be city property.”
Some council members questioned the process that led to the vending machine’s initial placement in the library and whether the council should have been consulted. “The original genesis was to have the machine moved at the request of citizens,” said Council Member Victor Lombardi. “A policy at this point wouldn’t have even been talked about if they had done that.”
After a motion to table the ordinance passed 6-1, the council debated whether to allow Narcan distribution on city property by council permission only. That motion failed after concerns were raised about limiting citizen-to-citizen distribution and the need for more input from service providers and public health experts.
“I do agree that we need to talk about it a little more,” Martinez said. “Let’s talk to the experts or the people that work in this line of work, with the service providers, and ask them for some input as to what would that look like if we were to partner with you in creating this ordinance.”
The council indicated it would revisit the issue after further community consultation, with several members expressing hope for a compromise that balances public health needs with community concerns.