Commissioners debate opioid‑settlement spending; staff to seek DOJ guidance before reallocating funds

Beaufort County commissioners engaged in a heated, extended debate over how to spend a portion of opioid settlement proceeds, and directed staff to obtain written guidance from the settlement administrators before approving additional reallocations. The county's behavioral health task force presented three pilot projects it recommended for funding from the local opioid settlement money: District 2 Recovery Court ($10,000), Belhaven After School Community Center ($10,000) and Prevention Point ($7,000). Task‑force staff said the funding request totals $27,000 and that an existing community pilot line in the county spending plan held $20,000; the request would require reallocation of $7,000 from…