Salary board approves part‑time opioid advisory administrator, funded from settlement proceeds

The Lawrence County Salary Board on March 13 approved Resolution 25 to create a part‑time opioid advisory administrator position, to be paid $20,000 annually from opioid settlement administrative funds. The board said the post will be funded from, and contingent on, settlement dollars rather than county tax revenue.

Solicitor Jason Madore told the board that a state trust created to oversee opioid settlement spending permits counties to use up to 10% of their award for administrative costs. “Pursuant to that trust, the counties are allowed to spend up to 10% annually in administrative fees,” Madore said, and the advisory board recommended a part‑time administrator because the workload — including reviewing lengthy applications and communicating with the state trust — is substantial.

County officials said the position is expected to work fewer than 30 hours per week on a quarterly average and therefore will not receive county health insurance or pension benefits. The position would be eliminated if opioid settlement funds are no longer available; the solicitor said the initially budgeted administrative dollars for this role would be exhausted in 2026 under current projections but that multiple settlement streams are producing more work and funds than originally expected.

Board members discussed reporting lines and hiring: the administrator would report to the advisory board and ultimately be under the commissioners’ auspices; the advisory board expressed a preference to interview candidates and recommend hires to the commissioners. County human resources said it will coordinate payroll processing and ensure compliance with hiring and payroll rules.

The board approved the resolution by unanimous roll call. Commissioners emphasized these are not county tax dollars and said the role is intended to manage the application, review and contracting work associated with distributing opioid settlement funds.