Committee approves $12,321 in opioid‑settlement funds for 2024 treatment room and board costs
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Summary
The county authorized a one‑time expenditure of $12,321 from opioid settlement proceeds to cover room and board costs for treatment services incurred in 2024; the committee noted the county has about $300,000 in the opioid settlement account and discussed broader strategies for using the funds.
The Ashland County Finance and Economic Development Committee approved spending $12,321 from the county’s opioid settlement account to cover room and board costs for treatment services incurred in 2024.
County staff reported the opioid settlement account balance is a little over $300,000 and presented the $12,321 request as fitting eligible “Schedule E” uses under the settlement guidance. A committee member moved to approve the expenditure and another committee member seconded; the motion passed on a voice vote.
Why it matters: Committee members said they want to use opioid settlement funds in ways that produce measurable benefits. One committee member asked health and human services to coordinate with neighboring Bayfield County to identify joint approaches for programming and shared services to increase the funds’ impact.
Key details
- Motion: The committee voted to authorize $12,321 from opioid settlement proceeds to reimburse room and board costs for treatment services in 2024.
- Account balance: County staff said the opioid settlement account held roughly $300,000 at the time of the meeting and that this was the first request approved from that account.
- Next steps: Committee members asked county health and human services and the sheriff’s office to explore joint programming with Bayfield County and other regional partners to better leverage settlement funds for treatment, prevention and coordination of services.
Ending
The committee approved the payment by voice vote and asked staff to return with ideas for more strategic, larger‑scale uses of the settlement funds.
