Committee names recommendations panel and accepts sheriff’s representative for opioid RFA process

At its Jan. 28 meeting the Together in Partnership Committee voted to appoint Undersheriff Douglas Waller as the sheriff’s representative to the TIP (Transportation and In Partnership) recommendations committee and approved a set of five additional members who will evaluate opioid‑abatement grant applications.

Juanita Jackson (Brevard County Housing and Human Services) told the committee the standing composition of the recommendations committee is set by the TIP resolution and includes city and county representatives and five additional TIP members chosen by majority vote. She presented the sheriff’s letter recommending Undersheriff Douglas Waller and proposed several volunteers for the five standing seats.

The committee moved and approved the sheriff’s appointment by voice vote. Later in the meeting a motion to accept five volunteers to serve on the recommendations committee passed by voice vote. Members were warned that committee service may involve long review sessions depending on the number of applications received and that members with potential conflicts would need to recuse themselves on specific RFAs where they or their agencies applied.

Why it matters: the recommendations committee will be tasked with reviewing application notebooks, scoring proposals and recommending awards once the county posts RFAs for the opioid‑abatement funds. County staff said they plan to separate RFAs by priority area to reduce conflict risk and to require recusals when necessary.

What’s next: staff will work with purchasing to post the RFAs on Vendorlink and to deliver application materials to the recommendations committee for review when solicitation closes; members should expect to receive materials and meeting notices in advance of scoring sessions.