APPRO-2024-15 : An Appropriation from Free Cash in the amount of $101,540.94 to the Opioid Settlement Special Revenue Fund (#2757).

Transcript (~6 min @ 10:30)

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▶ 10:26 Maya Jamaleddine: Seeing no objection, the rule 37 B is now suspended.

▶ 10:32 Maya Jamaleddine: First, um, uh, order on our item on our agenda for tonight is appropriation 2024 dash 15, uh, and appropriation from, uh, free cash in the amount of, uh, 101,000,005, uh, uh, 540 94 to the opioids, uh, settlement. Special Revenue Fund number 27 57.

▶ 11:02 Maya Jamaleddine: We have Mayor Tus.

▶ 11:05 Jen Grigoraitis: Good evening everyone. You, you have me for the next, uh, four orders?

▶ 11:11 Jen Grigoraitis: Yes, always. Um, so this is a request that we, I believe had discussed previously when Assistant City Auditor Golden had come before you with a budget update. Um, these are funds that from the Commonwealth when they settled with various opioid makers and distributors that were part of our certified free cash. And then the division of local services had subsequently put out a bulletin requesting that municipalities transfer that money into a designated settlement fund. So the motion before you tonight would just be to make that transfer, obviously, when and if we make a request to use those funds, that would, you know, come before you with a more programmatic update. But tonight is just to move this from free cash into the designated fund.

▶ 11:57 Maya Jamaleddine: Do we have any question from my colleagues?

▶ 12:04 Speaker 6: Councilor Stewart?

▶ 12:06 Robb Stewart: Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you Madam Mayor for being here this evening. Um, and I'm pleased to see that this is finally being done. I, I recall that, um, there was a lot of, um, what's the right word? Um, non-action to receiving these funds across the commonwealth. And there, there was a little bit of a push to get communities to act on this and use the money appropriately. Can you speak to, um, how you anticipate this funding is gonna be used in going forward?

▶ 12:42 Jen Grigoraitis: Um, I don't wanna speak preemptively for, um, the city, but at this, to, first of all, in your packet is a link to the bulletin from the Division of Local Services, which provides some pretty detailed guidance around how the funds can be used. So we are currently, um, our health director is leading a collaborative effort with Health Fire Police, Melrose Public Schools, and the Council on Aging to discuss how we can collectively best use this funds. We're also recognizing that we have some existing services that are provided for, um, those that are recovering from opioid addiction, that we are paying for out of general funds, that given the impending financial challenges, we may be looking to use some of this money to offset some of those existing costs. Um, and that's where we're at with those discussions.

▶ 13:30 Robb Stewart: Great. Thank you Madam Mayor. Um, and you know, I, I did read the DLS, um, bulletin. I think it was very helpful. And they do speak of four areas in particular, prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. Mm-Hmm. So, and, and, um, I encourage the administration and the health department to look at all facets of that and how we could potentially bring this, uh, to our children in the schools. Uh, I think that's an important and opportunity that we could take advantage of to address this with our youth. Absolutely. Great. Thank you madam. Uh, mayor. Thank you, Madam Chair.

▶ 14:06 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you Councilor Stewart, anyone else who have got, uh, vice Chair Williams. Thank

▶ 14:12 Speaker 2: You. Um,

▶ 14:15 Ryan Williams: do you happen to know the scope of substance abuse deaths in Melrose? How many people in Melrose?

▶ 14:22 Jen Grigoraitis: No, not off the top of my head. Okay. I'm happy to ask the chief. Obviously there would also be a difference between reported and unreported.

▶ 14:29 Ryan Williams: Sure, absolutely. Yeah. Um, no, I I mean, when you, when when it comes time to discuss the, the placement of the funds, I think it would be good to just talk about where we are as a city with that Mm-Hmm. Because I, I know it happens, but we don't, um, we don't often hear the details of it. Um, and so these funds, looking to the DLS guidance, the, the guidance says that we may put the funds in a stabilization fund. We don't have to put the funds in a stabilization fund. Right? Yeah. So we're choosing to, um, and the goal would be to use some of that money specifically for the purpose, kind of the, the philosophical purpose of the settlement.

▶ 15:07 Speaker 7: We would use all of the money for that, correct? Yes. All of

▶ 15:09 Speaker 2: The money for that. Yeah. Okay. Alright. Thank you.

▶ 15:15 Speaker 6: Thank you. Anyone else?

▶ 15:22 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay, for the second time, counselor, uh, Stewart

▶ 15:25 Robb Stewart: Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to recommend this to the full council. Second.

▶ 15:28 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. We have a motion to recommend, uh, to the full council, made by Councillor Stewart. Seconded by Councillor Chetty. Um, Mr. Clerk,

▶ 15:40 Speaker 3: Vice Chair Williams? Yes. Councillor Repe? Yes. Councillor Stewart? Yes. Councillor Chetty? Yes. Councillor Hamilton? Yes. Councillor Van Devin? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councillor Finocchiaro. Yes. President Elli? Yes. And Chair Jamal? Yes. That's Unanim with 10? Yes.