Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Settlement Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee recommends partial and reallocated opioid‑settlement grants, 3–2 vote
Summary
A Bangor City committee voted 3–2 to recommend partially funding Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (half of its $25,000 request) and to reallocate funds to fully fund Timberwolves ($50,000) and Wabanaki while removing Bangor Public Health & Community Services from this round; staff will forward the recommendation to council and the committee entered executive session for legal advice.
A Bangor City committee voted 3–2 on a recommendation to the full council that would partially fund one applicant and reallocate money to other groups from the city’s opioid settlement allotment.
The committee agreed that Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine would be funded at half of its $25,000 request (about $12,500) and that Timberwolves (the group that requested $50,000) and other applicants above the funding “blue line” would receive full awards under the committee’s prioritized list. The motion, as restated on the record, also removed Bangor Public Health & Community Services from the recommendation.
Why it matters: committee members said the change would allow the available pool—about $650,000 for this round—to reach more organizations. Staff will prepare an order for the full council that reflects the committee’s recommendation and the council will consider the measure at an upcoming meeting.
The request amounts were discussed aloud during the meeting. One participant said, “The ask is 25,000 for the foster kid 1. The ask for the Timberwolves is 50,000,” and another committee member confirmed that cutting the first ask in half would permit funding Timberwolves within the available total. (Speakers are recorded in the meeting transcript; see provenance.)
Concerns about prior funding to public health were raised during debate. A committee member said, “Don’t mean to be a broken record, but, again, public health is on that list, and they already received $540,000 of this money,” and argued it would be better to direct money to organizations that had not yet received settlement funds. The committee discussed treating the recommendation as one package and then withdrew and reworked an initial motion before adopting the final version.
Procedure and vote: the committee took a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded three yes votes and two no votes; the chair confirmed the motion will be forwarded to council as the committee’s recommendation and staff will notify members when the council agenda item is scheduled so committee members can attend.
After the vote, the committee moved into executive session for confidential legal advice from the city solicitor under the statute cited in the meeting as “MSRA, section 12 5 6 e.” The committee exited the public Zoom and rejoined on a separate link for the closed session.
What’s next: staff will prepare the council order reflecting the recommendation and schedule the council review; no final disbursements occur until council action. The executive session will address solicitor concerns about whether several highlighted applicants qualify under the governing memorandum of understanding for opioid settlement funds.
