Sedro-Woolley council hears regional plan to spend opioid-settlement funds on STAR Center, recovery and bridge housing

Sedro‑Woolley received a briefing Tuesday on a regional proposal to use opioid‑settlement money to fund a mix of one‑time and two‑year recovery services, including start‑up capital for the STAR Center and short‑term “bridge” housing.

“Council members we are here because we would like to seek your direction in a proposed regional collaboration utilizing opioid settlement funds,” Monica Negrilia, director of strategic initiatives for the North Star initiative, told the Sedro‑Woolley City Council. George Kostovich, who worked with county staff on the proposal, reviewed the funding math and expected outcomes.

Negrilia and Kostovich said the region had collected about $2.6 million from multiple settlements as of June 30, 2025. Under the draft proposal they presented, the funds would be split roughly 80/20 between regional projects and amounts held for each participating jurisdiction. The plan prioritizes three areas: one‑time startup capital for the STAR Center, two‑year pilot funding for short‑term bridge housing, and two‑year funding for expanded recovery housing capacity.

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