Commissioner Zappel urges credit for city as county outlines opioid settlement spending

The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners reviewed an adoption resolution to direct the expenditure of opioid settlement funds for fiscal year 2026-27, and Commissioner Zappel urged that the preamble explicitly recognize the City’s contribution to the joint effort.

Commissioner Zappel said the county has funded 18 strategies since 2023 and asked that the county "mention" the City's contribution in the resolution text. "I think it would be good if we mentioned that, you know, in the, preamble here," he said. The Chair confirmed the City had contributed its portion: "That is correct. Yes."

Why it matters: the commissioners framed the funding as a multi-year, cross-sector investment in treatment, prevention and related services. Commissioner Zappel reviewed major recipients and amounts—saying, for example, "You know, $4,400,000 in total going to Coastal Horizons, The healing place at 4,700,000... Novant Health with a $1,600,000," and noted support also reaches the city fire department and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department. He said the list demonstrates sustained county commitment and the work’ s overlap with homelessness services and larger health systems.

Commissioner S3 added the county has an oversight task force that includes the chair and S3 and noted the county is seeing encouraging trends: "We're seeing, absolute decrease in the number of deaths and overdoses in this community related to opioids," the commissioner said. The comment was offered as part of the discussion of how the settlement funds and related programs are being evaluated for return on investment.

The resolution discussion took place on the consent agenda; no formal vote or final action on the resolution is recorded in this excerpt. The board proceeded to the next items on the agenda and will meet again on Monday.