HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2025-053File ID: AB2025-756 Version: 1 Status: Adopted
File Created: 10/22/2025 Entered by: MMiterko@co.whatcom.wa.us
Department: Finance Division File Type: Ordinance
Assigned to: Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee Final Action: 11/18/2025
Agenda Date: 11/18/2025 Enactment#: ORD 2025-053
Related Files:
Primary Contact Email: KSchottb@co.whatcom.wa.us
TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM:
Ordinance establishing the Opioid Settlement Fund and establishing a budget for the Opioid Settlement
Fund
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE:
Establishing the Opioid Settlement Fund will provide a separate fund to track and account for revenues
and expeditures in accordance with the One Washington Memorandum of Understanding between
Washington Municipalities. The Opioid Settlement Fund seeks an initial budget of $438,494 as
described in Exhibit A. Please see attached.
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE
Date: Acting Body: Action: Sent To:
11/05/2025 Council INTRODUCED Council Finance and
Administrative Services
Committee
Aye: 7 Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
11/18/2025 Council Finance and Administrative RECOMMENDED FOR
Services Committee ADOPTION
Aye: 2 Byrd, and Donovan
Nay: 0
Absent: 1 Buchanan
Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 1111912025
Agenda Bill Master Report Continued (AB2025-756)
11/18/2025 Council ADOPTED
Aye: 7 Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
Attachments: Proposed Ordinance, Notice of Action Proposed
Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 1111912025
PROPOSED BY: Executive
INTRODUCTION DATE: 11/05/25
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-053
ESTABLISHING THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND AND ESTABLISHING A BUDGET FOR
THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND
WHEREAS, Whatcom County is involved as a plaintiff in several class action Washington
State Attorney General lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors; and
WHEREAS, those lawsuits have resulted in settlements that will be paid out to municipalities,
including Whatcom County, throughout the state over a period of several years; and
WHEREAS, the settlements received by Whatcom County and all other municipalities must
comply with the terms and spending restrictions specified in the various participation forms and
allocation agreements governing each respective settlement, as well as applicable
memorandums of understanding (MOUs) such as the One Washington MOU; and
WHEREAS, those terms and restrictions require the funds to be spent for the specific opioid
remediation uses listed in the agreements; and
WHEREAS, the County needs a separate fund to separately track and account for these
revenues until funds can be properly expended; and
WHEREAS, the County has approximately $1,381,940 in opioid settlement monies residing
in the General Fund.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that a new fund
is hereby established effective January 1, 2026 titled Opioid Settlement Fund to account for
revenues and expenditures in accordance with the One Washington Memorandum of
Understanding between Washington Municipalities; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that the balance of opioid
settlement funds in the General Fund be transferred into the Opioid Settlement Fund; and
BE IT FINALLY ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that the Fund is approved
with a budget of $438,494 as described in Exhibit A.
ADOPTED this 18th day of
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APPROVED ASq,Fq Q
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Civil Deputy Prosecutor
November .2025
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
K lee alloway, Chair of the Council
EXHIBIT
Supplemental Budget Request
Health Community Health
Supo'; iG ti 52/s 1 Fund Cost Center Originator. Brad Bennett
Year 2 2026 Add'I FTE ❑ Priority 1
Name of Request: Opioid Fund
X
Department Head Signature (Required on Hard Copy Submission) Date
Costs:
CObject
Object Description
Amount Requested
4369.4000
Judgments and settlements
($438,494)
6190
Direct billing rate
$223,494
6370
Medical supplies
$25,000
6610
Contractual services
$190,000
Request Total
$0
1a. Description of request:
Whatcom County has received approximately $2.4 million to date in funds from the opioid settlement
agreements with opioid distributors and manufacturers. $1 million in funding has been allocated to the 23
Hour Crisis Center.
Health & Community Services requests expenditure authority for 2026 personnel costs as well as funding
to provide opioid prevention and mitigation strategies in accordance with the Washington State Opioid &
Overdose Response Plan, as well as local priorities identified by the Whatcom County Opioid
Task Force and through the County's Fentanyl Operations Plan. This request aligns with the One WA
Memorandum of Understanding, which outlines the requirements of the opioid settlement spending for
communities.
This spending request will address locally identified needs along the Prevention, Intervention, Treatment,
and Aftercare continuum of care (PITA).
Funding is currently anticipated to go to some of the following activities
Direct billing of one Public Health Nurse, a portion of a Health Officer, and a portion of a Preventions
Specialist.
Youth Substance Use & Mental Health Services (UWill)
Public Education and Marketing (WTA & Media)
Community Supported training and programming (All Hands Whatcom, NWYS, WRIC)
Coalition prevention strategies (Birch Bay Thrives and Mt. Baker Coalition)
Supported employment services
Medication lock bags
Naloxon
1b. Primary customers:
Whatcom County Residents and community, with a particular focus on those impacted by the opioid crisis
and youth at risk of opioid use.
2. Problem to be solved.
Like communities across Washington, Whatcom County has seen a dramatic rise in fentanyl-related
fatalities in recent years. With high potency opioids more available and poly drug use on the rise, overdose
Monday, October 13, 2025 Rpt: Rpt Suppi Regular
Supplemental Budget Request
Health Community Health
-_
Supp'11D 4 szrFund Cost Center Originator. Brad Bennett
incidences and overdose deaths have been a concern. Whatcom County fatal overdoses increased
nearly 50% from 2022 to 2023, and non -fatal overdoses have increased significantly as well. In the first
six months of 2023, 478 Emergency Department visits were reported for drug overdoses. Of that number,
264 were attributed to opioids. In April 2024, responding to the growing problem in the community,
Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu issued an Executive Order outlining specific actions each
County department must do to address the fentanyl crisis. Whatcom County Health and Community
Services (WCHCS) has developed an Operations Plan to take steps to support the executive order. The
plan highlights key items that were identified from both the MAC group and the Opioid Task Force as a
necessary focus and effective use of the subsequent opioid settlement funds.
3a. Options / Advantages:
Community Health and Human Services staff has identified a broad range of strategies through the
Prevention, Intervention, Treatment, and Aftercare (PITA) continuum of care and has a history of
coordinating strategies around the current opioid and fentanyl crisis. Staff have also met with Whatcom
County departments serving community impacted by the opioid crisis, such as the Public Defender's
office, Juvenile Justice, the Sheriff's Office and the Response Systems Division to name a few.
Collaboration across the county departments such as this, will have a positive impact on the planning for
incarceration and reduction of use of the justice system, as well as increasing protective factors for
families involved in the criminal justice system. This current spending focuses on prevention strategies
and will better work towards addressing the current opioid crisis as well as prevention of future use in the
community.
3b. Cost savings:
With the majority of this funding supporting the prevention of opioid use, future use by community
members will be reduced and individuals will be able to avoid overdoses, as well as entering the justice
system and the behavioral health systems. Without proper interventions and expanded supports, these
issues increase the need for more expensive and intensive supports (treatment, emergency room visits,
jail, etc.). Additionally, many evidence -based strategies possess their own cost savings analysis.
4a. Outcomes:
Whatcom County Health and Community Services will increase access to core public health services to
address this need in our community. Strategies will have a positive impact on families, healthcare,
schools, emergency medical services, community groups, criminal justice systems, including law
enforcement, courts, and jails by reducing the burdens created by the opioid and fentanyl crisis.
Outcomes will include but are not limited to, a 2026 All Hands Summit and programming, updated and
ongoing support for a resource guide of treatment options, additional community access to substance use
counseling and prevention programs in schools and tools such as lock bags to prevent future harm in
individual households and Naloxone to prevent overdose deaths.
4b. Measures:
Evidence -based practices have been scientifically validated to yield positive outcomes. Their
implementation includes evaluation methods to assess changes in behavior, knowledge, and access to
services. These evaluations provide data to measure impact, ensuring effectiveness and facilitating
continuous improvement.
5a. Other Departments/Agencies:
None.
5b. Name the person in charge of implementation and what they are responsible for:
None.
6. Funding Source:
New Opioid Fund.
Monday, October 13, 2025 Rpt: Rpt Supp! Regular