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Daniels County approves opioid settlement paperwork, discusses regional MOAT fund use
Summary
The board voted to approve opioid-settlement paperwork and discussed using MOAT (opioid-abatement trust) funds managed by Eastern Montana Mental Health for regional grant projects; the formal resolution (2025) will be finalized at a future meeting.
Daniels County commissioners voted during their Aug. 18 session to approve paperwork associated with the county's share of opioid-settlement funds and discussed how regional MOAT funds are managed and deployed.
A commissioner explained that the opioid-abatement money for the 17-county eastern Montana region is managed through Eastern Montana Mental Health and MOAT to support targeted grants rather than sitting idle in a bank. "Instead of sitting in a bank, it could be being put to use," the commissioner said, urging the board to consider grant opportunities that meet MOAT criteria and regional priorities.
On a related procedural point, commissioners discussed maintaining a levy amount aligned with what voters approved for public safety and hospital funding. "My motion is to keep it at 50 ms, which is what the voters voted on," one commissioner said during the motion vote.
The board made a motion to approve the opioid settlement paperwork; that motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Commissioners noted they would complete a formal resolution (Resolution 2025) when paperwork and language are finalized and would return the resolution for formal adoption at a later meeting.
No specific grant awards or distributions were approved at the Aug. 18 meeting; the discussion centered on oversight, eligibility and the mechanics of routing money through the regional MOAT structure.
