The Avery County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 5 authorized Amendment 1 to an agreement with the High Country Council of Governments to provide technical assistance on distributing opioid settlement funds.

County staff said the Dogwood Trust provides grant funding to pay for Sarah Price’s services and that the grant funding for her position runs through July 2028. The board approved the amendment and authorized the county manager to sign the contract.

County officials said the amendment formalizes continued technical support as the county plans how to allocate opioid settlement proceeds. No dollar amount for the contract amendment was specified in the meeting record.

Next steps: county staff will finalize the agreement documents and return to the board or the county manager for signature as authorized.