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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2067 RESOLUTION NO. 2067 A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, establishing a process for the submission of community input on priorities for allocation strategies in the City's use of its opioid settlement funds. RECITALS A. The City of Kent joined several other public agencies across the nation in lawsuits against entities who manufacture, distribute, and dispense prescription opioids. These lawsuits have resulted in several settlements that provide for direct money payments to the City of Kent over several years on the condition that those funds are used in remediating and abating the impacts of the opioid crisis. B. These global settlements were conditioned on all participating agencies within the State of Washington agreeing on terms to allocate settlement funds between the State of Washington and the counties, cities, and towns in Washington State. This allocation agreement was memorialized through a Memorandum of Understanding between these Washington municipalities, which requires that Opioid Abatement Councils be established at the county level to monitor and report compliance in municipal use of opioid settlement funds for remediation and abatement strategies. In turn, King County municipalities entered into a regional interlocal agreement to form an Opioid Abatement Council to monitor and report their compliance 1 Opioid Settlement Funds-- Community Input on Priorities and Allocation Strategies and to develop a public facing dashboard through which they will publish expenditure data. C. Both the statewide memorandum of understanding and the regional interlocal agreement provide that each municipality retains full discretion over the use and distribution of their allocation of opioid settlement funds, provided those funds are used to remediate, respond, and abate to the opioid crises. However, in determining how to use opioid settlement funds, each municipality agreed to provide an opportunity for community-based input on priorities for programs and services to be funded using those funds. D. The Kent City Council has determined that it would be most appropriate to consider proposals related to the City's use of opioid settlement funds during the budget or mid-biennial budget development process, and that the community be provided an opportunity to provide input and comment on any proposed opioid remediation and abatement effort funded through the budget process before Council takes formal action concerning the proposed budget. This resolution defines the process that will apply to the submission of staff proposals for use of opioid settlement funds and the community input that is required as part of Council's consideration of those proposals. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT, WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: RESOLUTION SECTION 1. - Proposals for Use of Opioid Abatement and Remediation. Each year during the budget or mid-biennial budget development process, or at such other times as deemed appropriate, a department may propose a use for the City of Kent s Opioid Funds for an Approved Purpose that is consistent with the terms of the One Washington 2 Opioid Settlement Funds— Community Input on Priorities and Allocation Strategies Memorandum of Understanding between Washington Municipalities ("MOU") and the King County Regional Agreement for an Opioid Abatement Council ("ILA"). The terms "Opioid Funds" and "Approved Purpose" shall have the meanings attributed to them through the MOU and ILA. The Mayor shall consider a department's proposed use of Opioid Funds, and shall consult with the proposing department, the Finance Department, and the City Attorney, as the Mayor deems appropriate. A department proposal for use of Opioid Funds shall, if approved by the Mayor, be proposed to the Kent City Council by way of a budget proposal or budget amendment. SECTION 2, - Opportunity for Community Input on Proposed Use. Prior to making any determination on a proposal for use of Opioid Funds on a particular Approved Purpose, the City Council shall provide the community with an opportunity to provide input or other public comment on the proposal; provided, if a proposed Approved Purpose has been authorized by the City Council during a previous budget proposal or budget amendment process at which the public was provided an opportunity to comment, and the allocation will not be sufficient to cover needed expenditures for the Approved Purpose authorized by Council, no additional public input shall be required to fund the Approved Purpose through the end of the budget cycle. If community input or public comment is required, and the proposal for use of Opioid Funds for an Approved Purpose is made during the regular budget or mid-biennial budget adoption process, a public hearing on the budget at which the public is afforded an opportunity to testify, shall satisfy the requirement of accepting community input or public comment under this resolution, the MOU, and the ILA. In all other cases in which an opportunity to provide community input or other public comment is required, the 3 Opioid Settlement Funds-- Community Input on Priorities and Allocation Strategies opportunity shall be provided on the other business portion of a City Council agenda, or as otherwise placed on a Council agenda. SECTION 3. - Authorized Expenditures of Opioid Funds. Upon adoption of the budget or other approval of Council, Opioid Funds shall be allocated to the budget line item designated and appropriate for the Approved Purpose as authorized by Council, and the requesting department shall be authorized to make the expenditure. The City's Human Services Manager shall report any use of Opioid Funds to the King County Regional Opioid Abatement Council consistent with the requirements of the ILA. The City's expenditure of Opioid Funds shall be publicly available, either through the public dashboard developed through the Opioid Abatement Council or other efforts determined appropriate by the Human Services Manager, in consultation with the Mayor or the Mayor's designee. SECTION 4, - Severability. If any one or more section, subsection, or sentence of this resolution is held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this resolution and the same shall remain in full force and effect. SECTION 5, - Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its passage. October 3, 2023 DANA RALPH, MAYOR Date Approved ATTEST: October 3, 2023 KIMBERLE OMOTO, CITY CLERK Date Adopted 4 Opioid Settlement Funds-- Community Input on Priorities and Allocation Strategies APPR AS TO FORM: TAM E, CITY ATTORNEY 5 Opioid Settlement Funds-- Community Input on Priorities and Allocation Strategies