MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon City Council approved a resolution on Monday that outlines local governments’ input into how money received from the OneOhio opioid settlement will be spent.
In 2020, Knox County, the city, and local townships joined governments throughout Ohio in a united effort (OneOhio) to hold drug manufacturers accountable for the opiod epidemic.
Ohio will receive more than $800 million in a settlement negotiated with pharmaceutical companies Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmeriSource Bergen.
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation will disburse 55% of the money throughout 19 regions. Knox County is in Region 18, along with Delaware, Fairfield, Licking, Marion, Morrow, and Union counties.
Each county will appoint a representative to the Region 18 board. In turn, the regional board will appoint a representative to the state board.
The Region 18 board will evaluate and submit projects to the Recovery Foundation to be paid for using regional allocation money. According to OneOhio estimates, Region 18’s allocation is roughly $12.7 million (70%) to $18.1 million (100%).
Allowed projects include strategies for prevention, recovery, community support, and long-term sustainability. Services for children, recovery housing, and developing data tracking software for overdoses are among the many approved potential strategies.
A county committee will appoint Knox County’s representative to the Region 18 board. Local committee members include:
•Teresa Bemiller, Knox County commissioner
•Matt Starr, mayor of Mount Vernon
•Dan Humphrey, Morris Township trustee
•Julie Miller, Knox County health commissioner
•Carol Grubaugh, executive director of the Knox County Chamber of Commerce
The committee members were selected after discussions between the commissioners, Knox County Clerk and Trustees Association, and village mayors.
The county committee will make decisions and recommendations on behalf of all of the local governments in Knox County and direct Knox County’s participation and votes relating to Region 18 matters.
Monday night’s city council resolution approves the above governance structure through the county committee and Region 18 board. Centerburg Village adopted a similar resolution at its April 4 meeting.
Gambier Village and Monroe and Morris townships have also passed the resolution. The county commissioners plan to approve the resolution in their April 12 session. The remaining governments are requested to adopt the participation resolution by April 22.
Local governments’ estimated revenue
Fifteen percent of settlement proceeds go to the state’s Office of Attorney General. More than 2,000 community governments statewide will divide the remaining 30% of the money.
Following are Knox County governments that opted into the settlement and the estimated amount each will receive at 70% and 100%, respectively, over an 18-year period.
•Knox County: $439,290.62, $627,558.03
•Centerburg: $5,829.54, $8,327.91
•Danville: $3,078.00, $4,397.14
•Fredericktown: $7,858.22, $11,226.02
•Gambier: $2,728.22, $3,897.46
•Gann: $46.64, $66.62
•Mount Vernon: $129,182.55, $184,546.50
•Martinsburg: $23.32, $33.31
Townships
•Brown: $5,503.08, $7,861.55
•College: $4,034.04, $5,762.91
•Harrison: $23.32, $33.31
•Howard: $69.95, $99.93
•Jefferson: $886.09, $1,265.84
•Liberty: $536.32, $766.17
•Middlebury: $396.41, $566.30
•Miller: $1,212.54, $1,732.21
•Monroe: $3,078.00, $4,397.14
•Morgan: $1,888.77, $2,698.24
•Morris: $46.64, $66.62
•Pleasant: $6,435.81, $9,194.01
Neighboring communities
•Marengo: $366.31, $523.30
•South Bloomfield: $674.34, $963.34
•Sparta: $108.69, $155.27
•Utica: $6,343.40, $9,061.99
