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Bowie council approves $20,000 donation to MHMR for opioid treatment in Montague County
Summary
Council voted to donate $20,000 from opioid-related settlement funds to a regional MHMR treatment center to support opioid-related treatment in Montague County; members acknowledged restrictions on directing funds but said they would request local targeting.
The Bowie City Council approved a $20,000 donation to a regional MHMR treatment provider to support opioid-related treatment in Montague County using city-held opioid-settlement funds.
A council member explained the city has been collecting opioid-settlement money for several years (noting roughly $56,000 on hand in the transcript) that must be used for opioid- and drug-related treatment and programs under guidance from the attorney general's office. The council discussed whether the funds could be restricted to Montague County; staff said they could request that the local MHMR prioritize county residents but could not legally withhold funds from individuals eligible under the distributing authority's rules.
The council discussed the existing recurring $8,000 annual donation to the provider and the proposed additional $20,000. One council member moved to donate $20,000 for opioid-related treatment to the identified MHMR center in Montague County; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The maker said the council would consider renewing the contribution annually while funds remained.
Councilmembers asked whether the MHMR office could guarantee the funds would be used locally; staff said they could request it but could not enforce blanket geographic restrictions if the distributing authority's allocation rules required broader distribution.
