The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Monday will consider spending almost $1 million of opioid lawsuit settlement money for several support programs aimed to help people who are addicted to opioid painkillers.
The commissioners will consider the spending proposal during a meeting that will start at 6:45 p.m. in Room 118 of the Cumberland County Courthouse.
The board will consider spending a total of $969,990 through June 30, 2025, for programs ranging from the distribution of Narcan for first responders to addiction treatment for inmates at the Cumberland County Detention Center. Narcan is the street name for a prescription nasal spray used to treat opioid overdoses.
Other programs include recovery support services, recovery housing support, and employment-related support services for those with opioid addiction-related illnesses.
In July 2021, N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein announced a $26 billion agreement to provide resources to communities harmed by the opioid epidemic. Cumberland County is set to receive nearly $17 million over the next 18 years.
The board also will consider awarding Fayetteville Technical Community College a $2 million contract for employment training. The would come from the federal American Rescue Plan Act fund programs.
An FTCC program called HOPE — for Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity through Education — provides accelerated training in high-demand skills to county residents without a college degree, including those with some college, a high school diploma, or less education. The FTCC program partners with employers to provide HOPE students with work-based internships and on-the-job training.
The board initially approved the $2 million in ARPA money on May 16 for a job training program that was a partnership with FTCC, Mid-Carolina Council of Governments Workforce Development, and Cumberland County Schools. However, the board has not taken any further action on the project since then. County Attorney Rick Moorefield recommended approval of a 13-page sub-award agreement with FTCC to implement the HOPE project.
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The board also will consider a resolution submitted by Commissioner Jimmy Keefe calling on the county to commit to working with affordable-housing stakeholders to develop an action plan. In essence, the four-page resolution recommends that the county's spending on affordable housing be more in line with the median cost of homes here. Keefe and several other commissioners recently balked at the proposed costs associated with affordable-housing programs.
Finally, the board will consider contracting with interim County Manager Renee Paschal for consulting services in March. The board’s newly hired county manager, Clarence Grier, will start work on March 1. Because he will arrive during the county's budget process, Paschal’s continued presence could be of value to Grier. The contract would be for March only. The board already approved a consulting agreement with former County Manager Amy Cannon that is effective through the end of June.
