The Johnson County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt recommendations from an opioid settlement funds work group that provide a strategic framework for programming settlement proceeds and related local funds.

Ben Hobert, a resident who spoke during public comment, urged the full board to review and discuss the KU needs assessment before finalizing any long-term framework. "As a citizen, I expect full and robust discussion by all of the board," Hobert said in public comment as he urged greater review of recommendations tied to roughly $9,600,000 referenced in the comment.

County staff and work-group members said the framework is intended to coordinate county and municipal settlement funds with existing alcohol tax and state grant dollars (the transcript cited pooled funds including alcohol tax revenues and municipal allocations). Staff clarified that previous board commitments include $100,000 per cycle to UCS and $100,000 to a prevention and recovery coalition; those amounts are intended to amplify program investments rather than serve only as overhead.

Commissioners stressed the need for targeted investments. Commissioner Ashcraft urged staff to "be surgical" and find choke points where a modest investment can have outsized impact. Commissioners noted that the county's direct decision-making share would amount to roughly $600,000 per year over 17 years, and that by mapping pooled city and county dollars the community's total programming could exceed $3,000,000 annually.

Commissioner Brewer moved to adopt the work group recommendations; Commissioner Allen Brand seconded. After discussion, the clerk recorded seven votes in favor and none against.

Next steps: the coalition and UCS will be asked to return with specific programming recommendations and reporting metrics before remaining funds are disbursed to community programs.