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Vancouver council approves opioid-settlement proceeds for bridge shelter construction and operation
Summary
The Vancouver City Council voted to accept opioid-settlement payments and allocate the proceeds to construction and operation of a bridge shelter, citing an earlier 2021 memorandum of understanding that authorizes such uses; the approval follows public questions about transparency and oversight.
The Vancouver City Council on Aug. 25 approved agreements to accept opioid-settlement proceeds and directed that the funds be used for the city’s bridge shelter construction and operation. The council voted to approve the settlements during its consent agenda.
Dan Lloyd, assistant city attorney, told the council the city joined the statewide litigation against opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers in 2019 and that “the city's cut of every settlement is roughly 1.73% of the amount that goes to local governments.” He said the city’s settlements to date total $8,219,596.24 and that payments are scheduled “to be payable through 02/1938” as shown in the staff report. Lloyd identified separate amounts for the settlements before the council: $122,537.14 from a group of smaller manufacturers and $776,707.14 from Purdue Pharmaceuticals and interests associated with it.
The funds will be allocated through the city’s budget process. Lloyd said council is directing that “it all go in one way, shape or form to the bridge shelter construction and operation,” and that the use is among the authorized categories in the 2021 memorandum of understanding between the state and local governments that governs distribution and permitted uses of opioid-settlement proceeds.
During public comment, Carmen Veil Leon raised concerns about the settlements and transparency. Leon asked who is deciding how the settlement money is spent and whether people who filed claims will have input. She also asked how much the city will receive and “where’s the receipts for where these millions of dollars are going,” and was told those figures are included in the staff report.
Discussion and formal action were separate: Lloyd provided the legal background and numbers, members of the public asked for greater transparency, and the council then took a formal vote approving acceptance of the settlements and the budget direction to allocate proceeds to the bridge shelter. A motion to approve was made and seconded; the council chair called for the ayes and announced the motion passed.
The staff report referenced by Lloyd contains the settlement listings and the memorandum of understanding that defines authorized uses for the funds; the council’s approval places the specified settlement receipts into the city budget for shelter construction and operation. The staff report and the 2021 memorandum are available in the meeting materials online.
Details not specified in the meeting record include the precise timing of individual incoming payments and any sub-budgets or expenditure schedules for the bridge shelter construction and operations beyond the direction to place proceeds into the budget.
