The Georgetown City Council on Dec. 9 voted 7–1 to adopt a resolution committing the city to participate in development of the Bluegrass Recovery Initiative (BRI), a regional effort led by the Bluegrass Area Development District to coordinate substance-use-disorder recovery services across a 17-county region.

Gene Dethridge Jr., recovery support specialist with the Bluegrass Area Development District, told the council he is seeking a $1,000,000 grant from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to stand up a BRI office that would retain four staff members, convene an advisory and governance structure and fiscally map programs and funding streams across the region. “I am in the process of requesting $1,000,000 grant from the Kentucky opioid abatement advisory commission, to launch this project,” Dethridge said during his presentation.

The resolution before council would allow Georgetown to participate in developing the initiative; the city’s initial, local pledge discussed at the meeting was $5,000, contingent on the larger state award. Dethridge said the Bluegrass AD would also request a $25,000 match from its own board as part of a broader local match strategy and that several counties (including Scott County) had signaled willingness to participate.

Councilmember Kim Minkie, who cast the sole no vote, said her opposition was not to the project’s goals but to its timing and governance: “My no vote is not that I disagree with the activity… I think it’s premature,” Minkie said, adding concern that if the model mirrors other regional boards, final decisions could be made at the regional level rather than locally.

Other council members asked detailed questions about who regional partners would be, how administrative costs would be balanced with direct services and what minimum funding would look like if the full $1 million were not awarded. Dethridge said the BRI’s initial role would be administrative and coordinating rather than directly providing services—mapping providers, identifying duplications and helping communities form local advisory boards and memorandums of agreement among providers.

The council’s approval means Georgetown will be part of the regional planning and development process for the BRI; Dethridge and staff said any formal fiscal commitments would be tied to the grant award and subsequent agreements. The resolution passed with seven votes in favor and one opposed; the mayor directed the record to reflect the count.

Next steps noted at the meeting: Dethridge will continue outreach to local partners and pursue the state grant, and the council’s participation will allow Georgetown access to the initiative’s planning materials if the BRI receives funding.