Council hears proposal to use opioid settlement (1Ohio) funds for Adamus-supported school programs

Mayor Christina Mearn reviewed options for city-held opioid abatement dollars from the 1Ohio settlement and reported that the city of Findlay has accumulated about $148,000 in funds. She described a proposal from Adamus (Adamis/Adamus board) to use a portion of those funds to support existing programs that partner with Findlay City Schools, including prevention specialists, a family coach and mobile reporting/stabilization services.

"These dollars are specifically the ones that come directly to the city," the mayor said, adding that the city and county each get a portion under the settlement. She said local officials had chosen to allow the funds to accumulate and then target them where they would augment existing programs and leverage other federal and state resources. Mayor Mearn said the Adamus board reached out and the recommendation was to use the funds to support Adamus programming that already coordinates with school staff.

Councilmember Miss Wernicke asked whether $150,000 represented the entire balance; the mayor replied that the December report showed about $148,000 and that balances may have changed slightly since the report. At one point in the discussion city staff referenced a proposal to disburse $100,000 from the 1Ohio funds to Adamus to support school-based prevention and stabilization. Mayor Mearn said the city had not solicited competing proposals because the recommendation was to support existing, qualifying programming rather than fund one-off projects.

The letter from the mayor regarding 1Ohio funds was filed and the council discussion concluded. Council did not vote to appropriate the funds at this meeting; it recorded the mayor's report and filed the letter for the record.