Sumner County committee reallocates leftover opioid grant funds, approves contract language and extensions

The Sumner County Opioid Abatement Committee on July 16 approved measures to reallocate unspent grant funds from its first grant cycle, add an acknowledgement clause to grant contracts and extend two existing contracts through June 30, 2027.

Committee staff reported that $93,274.81 remained unspent after the first grant cycle and that some individual grantees had returned or failed to draw down portions of awards; the committee said it would reallocate those amounts into the grant pipeline. Assistant Budget Director Beth Browning was identified in discussion as working with staff to move the funds into different cycles to allow larger awards in the next round, targeted for November.

Why it matters: the county manages multiple streams of opioid settlement money with differing restrictions. Committee members said the state’s scheduled, restricted payments are reasonably visible for the near term, while the less‑restricted revenue stream — dependent on private settlements and company contributions — is uncertain.

What the committee decided and discussed - Reallocation: Committee staff outlined a plan to move $93,274.81 of unspent grants into the grant pipeline. Specific moves described in the meeting included reallocating funds from grant cycle 2 into cycle 3 to free up awards in the next round. - Contract language: Members voted to add a clause to contracts requiring that, where feasible and appropriate, materials and advertising state that the activity “is supported by opioid settlement funds.” That motion passed with all voting members present. - Contract extensions: The committee voted to extend contracts for Recovery Court, Inc., and the Sumner Prevention Coalition to a new term ending June 30, 2027. The extension motion passed but drew two abstentions and one recorded “no.” The committee agreed that individual contracts are held and executed in the county legal/finance process.

Budget outlook and caveats discussed Committee members and staff discussed two separate “buckets” of money: restricted settlement funds (which staff said have a predictable three‑year schedule and were estimated at roughly $500,000–$600,000 over the next three years) and less‑restricted money, which staff said is affected by bankruptcy filings and pending court outcomes. Staff said additional money from ongoing settlements (including a family settlement linked to Purdue) was expected to flow to the state and could increase county allocations, but timing and amounts were uncertain.

Staff also said some previously awarded grant dollars were not drawing down because grantees could not meet the spending or reporting requirements. Staff said the county intends to work with grantees to use scholarship funds or other mechanisms to expend previously awarded amounts before reallocating them.

Dissent and outstanding questions Several commissioners pressed for clearer advertising and outreach plans so the public knows where to go for help; others asked for transparency on how reallocated funds will be prioritized in the next grant cycle. Committee members also requested that staff return with a written plan showing precisely how the $93,274.81 and the identified returned funds from Cumberland Heights Foundation and others will be moved across cycles.

Next steps Staff will work with the county’s legislative office to draft an Opioid Awareness Month resolution and with legal and finance staff to finalize contract language and execute the extended contracts. Staff also said they will present revised grant application materials and the reallocation accounting when the committee reconvenes.

Ending note: Committee members flagged the difference between restricted and less‑restricted settlement proceeds and emphasized that continuing uncertainty about contribution streams will shape grant size and duration in coming years.