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Romulus council accepts opioid‑settlement award, discusses oversight and program priorities
Summary
The council authorized the mayor and clerk to sign opioid‑settlement documents and discussed how future settlement payments should be governed, asking administration to convene a recommending committee and return spending proposals to the council.
The Romulus City Council on Aug. 25 voted to accept opioid‑settlement funds and authorized the mayor and clerk to sign the related documents, after a discussion about allowable uses, distribution timing and local oversight.
City attorney Steven Hitchcock explained to the council that settlement proceeds must be spent on activities related to the opioid epidemic. "It it has to be used for things that are related to the opioid epidemic," he said, listing examples the council packet identified — counseling, family services, education and equipment related to response and prevention. Hitchcock and staff noted settlement payments are typically distributed over multiple years rather than as a single lump sum.
Council members pressed for more detail on oversight and timing. Councilwoman Abdo asked whether the council should proactively identify a person or office to manage future award decisions; Mayor Rome Creek said the administration has convened a recommending committee to gather ideas and will bring proposals back to council. "We're just trying to get some kind of a program that'll be open to, being proactive instead of reactive," the mayor said.
Staff reported the city already has roughly $200,000 in a settlement account from prior distributions, but the final amount Romulus will receive depends on long‑term payment schedules and whether some defendants stay in business to make scheduled payments. City staff recommended holding funds in a separate account to track receipts and uses and returning specific program recommendations to council after the recommending committee meets.
The motion to authorize the mayor and clerk to sign the opioid settlement documents passed on a roll‑call vote. Councilmembers emphasized they want clear reporting on receipts and a transparent process for approving programs once eligibility rules and amounts are confirmed.
Next steps: the mayor's office will convene the recommending committee to draft program ideas and return those proposals to council; finance staff will continue to report annual settlement receipts so the council can evaluate program options.
