Abington Select Board Distributes $187,000 in Opioid Settlement Funds
Scales Back Police Expansion Amid Budget Constraints
ABINGTON - January 15, 2026 - The Abington Select Board voted unanimously to distribute $187,000 in opioid settlement funds to local support organizations and specialized police training. In a parallel move reflecting the town’s tightening fiscal reality, the Board and Police Chief agreed to withdraw a warrant article requesting four new police officers, choosing to focus on maintaining current services ahead of a potential override.
The Full Story
The meeting opened with a solemn moment of silence for Pat Gordon, a 40-year town employee who served as an administrative assistant for the Woodsdale School and Zoning Board of Appeals and spent over three decades supporting the Abington Fire Department [00:12].
The Board quickly moved to resolve a long-standing clerical oversight by voting to place the “Caristia property” on and off Vineyard Road into a formal conservation restriction [00:57]. Chair Roger Woods noted that while the move was thought to have been completed years ago, the wet nature of the parcels makes them ideal for permanent preservation for posterity [01:52].
The centerpiece of the session was the allocation of $187,000 in opioid settlement funds [02:13]. A subcommittee recommended, and the Board approved, the following distributions:
$70,000 to Abington COPES, a local organization providing direct community support [02:53].
$50,000 to the Edwina Mountain House in Brockton, which provides specialized housing for females, including Abington residents [03:03, 07:11].
$62,500 to the Abington Police Department, specifically for updated defibrillators, “knock knock” outreach programs, and a unique mental health initiative [03:19].
Police Chief John Bonney detailed an “outside the box” plan to use $35,000 of those funds to train an existing officer with a bachelor’s degree to become a licensed mental health clinician [04:32]. This approach ensures the town retains the expertise even if external grants expire and provides a first responder capable of handling de-escalation in high-risk scenarios where traditional clinicians might not be sent alone [05:01]. Chief Bonney also updated the Board on the successful January 1st deployment of body cameras, which are now being beta-tested with translation services for 87 different languages [08:35].
The mood turned more cautious during the budget update. Citing the need for an upcoming override question on the ballot, the Board discussed the necessity of identifying every available revenue source before asking residents for more money [12:11]. In a significant gesture, the Police Chief supported the removal of a town meeting article that would have added four new officers [12:42].
“We need this override to keep the people that we have currently. We wanted four extra bodies—now is not the time to ask for wants, and we recognize that.” [13:14] — Police Chief John Bonney
Why It Matters
For Abington residents, these decisions mark a strategic shift in how the town handles both public health and fiscal management. The opioid fund allocation provides immediate, non-taxpayer funding for critical recovery services, while the decision to pull the police expansion article signals a “needs-only” approach to the upcoming budget season. This suggests the Select Board is prioritizing the retention of current staff and essential services as they prepare to ask voters for a tax override.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To place Caristia properties into a conservation trust.
Vote: Unanimous ([02:05])
Motion: To approve the distribution of $187,000 in opioid settlement funds as recommended.
Vote: Unanimous ([08:15])
Motion: To ratify the easement for utility work at the new DPW/Fire Station facility on Central Street.
Vote: Unanimous ([14:44])
Motion: To open the Annual Town Meeting warrant on January 26th and close it on February 20th, 2026.
Vote: Unanimous ([15:47])
Public Comment
No members of the public offered comments during the specific agenda items discussed [06:29].
What’s Next
January 17, 2026: The Town Manager Search Committee meets at 8:00 a.m. to review applications and narrow the field to five candidates [10:55].
January 26, 2026: The Select Board will interview the final three candidates for Town Manager and formally discuss the Board of Health’s proposed animal policy [11:12, 15:04].
Source Video: Abington CAM