Community Foundation presents uses for opioid settlement dollars

Leeann Wright, executive director of the Community Foundation of Pulaski County, informed both the county council and the commissioners about the Pulaski County Drug Free Council and their proposal for using the county's opioid settlement funding. Wright explained that both organizations came together to form an action plan to address the drug problems in the county. The planning process also took into consideration the opioid settlement funds, which has already come into the county. Over the next 15 years, the county is expected to receive a total of $438,000 from the settlement. A total of $105,000 will be unrestricted funding and $333,000 is restricted or an "abatement share." As for the drug free council's suggested uses for the restricted portion of the funding, they presented both boards with a budget that could be used for the spending of the full amount of the abatement share to the county. They also requested that some of the opioid funds be used for matching dollars for a grant. The commissioners ultimately passed a motion to allow president Mellon to sign the document to proceed with using the opioid settlement funds to apply for the grant. The county council also passed a motion to advertise the appropriation.