Commission approves mayor's signature on opioid-abatement disbursement and Corps lease for launching ramp

The Cheatham County Legislative Body on Feb. 24 approved two county‑level agreements for signature by County Mayor Kerry McCarver: a Letter of Agreement with the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council accepting $228,735.12 in settlement-driven disbursements, and a 20‑year lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a roughly 0.20‑acre launching-ramp parcel at the Cheatham Lock and Dam (Bluegrass Drive).

Opioid funds: The Opioid Abatement Council disbursement is earmarked for opioid abatement and remediation activities approved by the council. The council's Letter of Agreement, incorporated into the county record, requires counties accepting funds to spend them only on council-approved activities, to report semiannually on how funds were used (including number people served and amounts spent per approved category), to place funds in an interest-bearing account, and to obligate funds for specific purposes within the stated multi‑year window (initial disbursement accounting and potential reversion rules are specified in the agreement). The letter document compiled by state officials lists $228,735.12 as the county allocation.

Corps lease: The commission also approved the county mayor's signature on a lease (DACW62-1-24-0346) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a small parcel used as a public launching ramp. The lease term is 20 years and includes standard conditions: an annual plan of operation and maintenance, insurance requirements, environmental protections, and constraints on third-party commercial activities. The Corps' Development Plan attached to the lease lists modest near-term work items (routine janitorial upkeep and bank stabilization/rip-rap as examples); the county will be responsible for any improvements it elects to make under the lease and must comply with Corps reporting and environmental review requirements.

Why it matters: The opioid-abatement disbursement provides a dedicated funding stream for locally administered opioid remediation programs but comes with reporting, eligible-activity, and time‑use conditions. The Corps lease formalizes county use of federally managed shoreline property for public boat access and sets maintenance, insurance and environmental obligations for the county while authorizing limited improvements.

Next steps: County staff will execute signature authority, follow the reporting requirements for the opioid funds, and coordinate with the Corps on any planned improvements to the launching ramp. The opioid agreement requires semiannual reporting to the Opioid Abatement Council and sets an initial obligation window.