Greene County Approves Interlocal MOU With Lenoir County for Opioid-Funded Community Recovery Program

The Greene County Board of Commissioners approved an interlocal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Lenoir County to use opioid-program funds to establish a joint community recovery division and to staff behavioral-health services shared between the two counties.

County staff told the board the MOU allocates costs by percentage: Greene County will contribute 17 percent of the project costs while Lenoir County will contribute 83 percent. Staff said the funds are opioid-program dollars and that no county general-fund dollars would be used for the positions described.

The MOU and related documents specify two positions to be hired as Lenoir County employees who will serve both counties: a program manager for the community recovery division and a licensed clinical social worker to provide behavioral-health services. Staff said Lenoir County had already approved the position descriptions and that the counties would use the 17/83 split for expenses.

Budget figures presented on the record included a short-term budget to finish the current fiscal year: total cost $64,840, with Greene County’s share $11,050 for May and June. For the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025, staff provided an estimated total budget of $500,000, with Greene County’s estimated share $85,000. The presenter said these are estimates and that a resolution will be returned to the Greene County board at the May 5 meeting to formalize the county’s participation.

A commissioner moved to approve the interlocal agreement; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The board recorded no roll-call tally. No members of the public offered comment during the discussion.

The agreement creates shared service capacity for community recovery and behavioral health funded by opioid-program dollars and commits Greene County to a proportional share of costs under the MOU. Further budget adoption and formal resolutions were described as forthcoming.