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Charles Town council weighs grant program to distribute roughly $368,000 in opioid settlement funds
Summary
Council heard staff proposals for a grant-based distribution process for opioid settlement funds (roughly $266,000 on hand, about $368,000 expected total), debated speed versus safeguards, and agreed to prepare a resolution to authorize a grant framework with reporting and oversight requirements.
City staff presented a draft grant process Monday for distributing the city’s opioid settlement funds, saying the city already has $266,000 available and expects additional tranches that staff estimate will bring the total to about $368,000.
“By the time we receive all the money, we'll have about, 368,000,” Director of Finance Lori Nys (S6) told the council while describing a notice-of-funding-availability ad, a schedule of application deadlines, and a detailed application form that would require applicant budgets, project descriptions and post-award reporting. Nys said the application packet would also include a certification referencing the attorney general’s approved uses.
Council members debated how quickly to move funds into the community versus adding stronger vetting and post-award accountability. One council member (S3), arguing for moving funds into service quickly, said staff should advertise the program and begin awarding grants from the $266,000 on hand so organizations are not left waiting. Another council member (S9) said he supported the application framework but warned against waiting “forever” and urged a resolution be placed on the next agenda.
Several members pressed staff to require proof of nonprofit status and to use contracts with recovery of funds remedies if awardees fail to spend money for approved purposes. “I would create a contract that says, we're giving you this money. You agree to spend it this way,” one council member (S13) suggested, outlining remedies and recovery mechanisms.
Staff said the settlement documents ask local governments to pass a resolution or equivalent action explaining intended uses before spending. The council directed staff to prepare a resolution for the next agenda and agreed to return with additional language addressing vetting, potential internal uses, reporting cadence and whether some funds could support city-led initiatives (for example, a social-worker position linked to police responses). The item was later tabled to allow staff to draft the resolution and contract language for council review.
Next steps: staff will draft a resolution authorizing the grant program and return language on vetting (including nonprofits’ proof), reporting requirements and contract remedies for the council’s second review.
