Board expands opioid settlement task force, appoints three community representatives after conflict-of-interest debate

After public comment and internal debate, Madison County supervisors voted on Oct. 14 to expand the county’s opioid-settlement task force from four to seven members and appointed three at-large members.

Public commenter Wendy Frost earlier urged the board to respect the boundary between the board’s fiduciary authority and the task force’s technical advisory role, calling the task force a “critical resource” on public health and treatment questions. The board responded by amending the task force’s duties to grant it formal oversight and recommendation power consistent with the county’s memorandum of understanding.

Supervisors reviewed five applicants for three open at-large seats and discussed concerns that placing a school-district employee or other subrecipient on an oversight body could create an appearance of conflict of interest because some applicants work for organizations that may receive settlement funding. After discussion the board appointed Natalie Montross, Sadie Ramey and Tanya McLaughlin.

Chair noted that ICAP liability coverage for task-force members was confirmed. Supervisors discussed striving for geographic representation across Winterset, Saint Charles and Earlham and preserving the task force’s ability to provide technical recommendations while the board retains final funding authority.

The newly expanded task force will provide oversight and funding recommendations to the board; the supervisors directed staff to update rosters and notify the appointees.