Rhea County approves plan to allocate opioid settlement funds to courts, recovery programs and local nonprofits
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Summary
Rhea County commissioners voted to allocate opioid settlement and abatement funds to a range of recipients including court services, recovery providers and nonprofits; the plan lists specific awards and sources for each allocation.
Rhea County commissioners on Feb. 17 approved a resolution laying out how the county will spend opioid settlement and abatement funds, directing payments to courts, recovery programs and local nonprofits.
The resolution, read aloud by the chairman during the meeting, lists several named allocations and the fund sources that will pay them. "For the children that have considered, we're giving that $50,000 for administrative costs and that's done for the Brown Greer Fund," the chairman said while reading the proposed distribution. He also said the commission would give $65,592.40 to the general sessions court to support recovery services and an officer salary and benefits, with portions coming from the Edison Fund and Brown Greer receipts.
Other items that the chairman read include $50,000 to Kilo Hot Ministries for administrative costs and $50,000 to Our Father's House, split into $20,000 for purchasing a van and $30,000 for a portable shop and classroom. The resolution states the allocations are consistent with the county's approved opioid abatement and remediation purposes and references state procedures for the use of opioid settlement funds.
Commissioners moved, seconded and approved the resolution. Leo Stevens, identified in the meeting as chairman of the opioid committee, assisted in reading the proposed list when asked by the chairman. "Yes, ma'am," Stevens said when asked to read the allocations.
Why it matters: local opioid settlement funds are restricted to abatement and remediation activities; the commission's allocations direct settlement dollars to local treatment, recovery and related administrative costs. The awards will direct county-managed money to specific local providers and court services rather than holding funds in a central account.
Next steps: the resolution authorizes the county executive to sign necessary documents to effect the distributions; commissioners indicated no further public hearings were scheduled on these allocations at the meeting.