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Council OKs authority to accept opioid settlements; staff say current estimate ~ $21,000
Summary
Council authorized staff to accept opioid-settlement funds as they become available; deputy city attorney said the city's current estimated share is about $21,000 and that the money must be used for treatment, education and prevention. Police staff said funds would support a clinician in the crisis support unit.
The Grand Prairie City Council on a consent agenda vote authorized the city to accept opioid-settlement payments as they are offered, with staff saying the funds are restricted to treatment, education and prevention programs.
Deputy City Attorney Tiffany Bull told the council the item "authorizes us to be able to accept any of the opioids opioid settlements that come in the future," and that the packet lists the current settlements and responsible pharmaceutical companies. When asked how much the city would receive now, Bull said the city's estimated share "is gonna be an estimated about $21,000." Assistant Chief Tim Shleba said the money would help pay for a clinician position within the police department's crisis support unit who works specifically with people affected by opioids: "That money is going to fund... one of our clinician positions within our crisis support unit."
Public commenters pressed for more funding and questioned the adequacy of the amount. Harold Willis said the Sackler family paid "billions" and asked, "How come we're only getting 21,000?" Bull and Shleba responded that settlement amounts are apportioned among many claimants and that some settlements may require quick acceptance by the city.
The consent agenda containing the settlement authorization passed as part of a broader consent vote, recorded in the meeting as "Motion carries 8 0."
