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Bangor council approves $641,297 in opioid settlement awards amid calls for better coordination
Summary
The council approved $641,297 in opioid settlement awards after the advisory committee recommended 16 grants; some councilors and residents pressed for clearer coordination and reporting on how funds will be administered.
The Bangor City Council voted to authorize $641,297 in opioid settlement awards on March 9 following a recommendation from the city's opioid settlement fund advisory committee and a later council workshop that modified the slate.
Speaker 21 (presenting the order) told the council the advisory committee met 15 times, received 32 applications and produced a final recommended slate of 16 awards. The committee’s final recommendation passed by a 3–2 vote; the council workshop later adjusted the slate to restore a proposal from the city's Department of Public Health and Community Services, which required removing the lowest‑scoring applicant from the recommended list.
Several councilors and members of the public urged more accountability and coordination in how the awards are managed. A councilor said, "I have a concern in the fact that we have no coordination on who's getting the monies and what they're being used for," and asked for clearer oversight and reporting requirements. Sonia Mallor, a resident, asked where the full list of award recipients can be found; the clerk said it is posted in the meeting packet online.
Proponents praised the advisory process and noted volunteer expertise that informed the recommendations; the order passed on a roll‑call vote, 8 yes and 1 no.
The order directs staff to award funds according to the modified recommendations and to include contractual accountability measures; the council asked staff to ensure reporting back to the council about how awardees use the funds.
