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<br /> <br /> <br />211 9th Street South, Fargo, ND 58103 | www.casscountynd.gov <br />Administration <br /> <br /> Telephone: 701-241-5770 <br /> Fax: 701-241-5776 <br /> wilsonro@casscountynd.gov <br /> <br />MEMO TO: County Commission <br /> FROM: Robert W. Wilson <br />Date: August 31, 2023 Subject: Agreement on Use of Opioid Settlement Funds <br />__________________________________________________________________________________ On August 20, 2018 the Cass County Commission entered into a retainer agreement with Robbins, Geller, Rudman & Dowd LLP to represent Cass County Government in multi-district litigation lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors and sellers. In the past five years several defendants have entered into settlement agreements that include compensation to local governments across the country, including Cass County and the cities of Fargo and West Fargo. To date Cass County has received a total of $127,545 in settlement proceeds. <br /> Local units of government in North Dakota are limited in how they can expend opioid settlement proceeds. North Dakota Century Code 50-36-06(1) directs that, ‘… a political subdivision that recovers moneys as a result of opioid litigation may deposit the moneys in the State of North Dakota’s opioid abatement fund <br />or may retain the moneys and transfer the moneys to the public health unit that provides services to the political subdivision;’ <br /> The applicable public health unit in Cass County is Fargo Cass Public Health (FCPH). Representatives of Cass County, FCPH and the cities of Fargo and West Fargo have developed the attached agreement <br />to pool opioid settlement proceeds and utilize the funds for opioid abatement in a coordinated fashion. Terms of the litigation settlements require the funds to be used for opioid abatement purposes. Stipulations of this agreement include: <br />• That all parties will collaborate on the use of funds, <br /> <br />• That the parties will provide an allocation plan to the Behavioral Health Division of the ND <br />Department of Health & Human Services & <br />• That the agreement will remain in place until all settlement funds have been received and utilized. A copy of the agreement is attached for review and has been reviewed by the State’s Attorney’s Office. SUGGESTED MOTION: Authorize the Chair to sign Agreement on Use of Opioid Settlement Funds with the Cities of Fargo & West Fargo and Fargo, Cass Public Health