The Penobscot County opioid advisory committee told commissioners on Nov. 26 that it expects to complete scoring of settlement‑fund RFPs by Dec. 10, hold a committee meeting Dec. 17 and present a slate of recommended awards to the county commission the following week.

Jamie Beck, chair of the advisory committee, said each application will be reviewed by three of the six committee members, using a Moss Center scoring template that covers ten categories including project description, feasibility, timeline and data to support need. "We anticipate to be by December 10 so that we can have our collective meeting on the seventeenth and have a recommendation to you before Christmas," Beck said.

Committee members discussed geographic balance and collaboration with the City of Bangor’s process. Several commissioners emphasized the county’s responsibility to distribute funds to towns and communities outside Bangor; committee members said they will be careful to consider countywide needs and to coordinate with city staff where projects overlap.

Committee members also asked county staff to confer with the sheriff about correctional needs and whether opioid settlement funds could help address shortfalls in MAT services; commissioners requested coordination with the finance director to understand timing for any payments.

The committee characterized the first round as modest — about $400,000 — and discussed options for concentrating future rounds on specific gaps (for example, recovery residences or post‑detox treatment) instead of issuing broad, open RFPs. The commissioners requested that the committee provide its scoring rubric and a recommendation packet in time for the Dec. 23 meeting so the commission can act on awards.