County firms up opioid fund panel

LEE COUNTY –  Lee County officials have named the group that will make recommendations on how to use the multi-million dollar opioid settlement fund pool expected in the county.
Supervisor Tom Schulz pulled the commission together over the past week and announced the commission members at Monday’s regular meeting of the Lee County Board of Supervisors.
Schulz said commitments had been secured from District B Judge John Wright, a member of Harmony Bible Church as the faith-based representative, Michele Ross from Lee County Health Department, Dustin Yager from Fort Madison City Council, Brian DePriest Keokuk PD, Darrin Roth from unincorporated areas, and Lee County Sheriff Stacy Weber.
Lee County Grant Writer Chuck Vandenberg will serve as a secretary to the board.
Lee County Auditor Denise Fraise said the group will need to be approved at the next regular board meeting on Oct. 30. Supervisors will meet on that Monday, despite it being the 5^th Monday of the month which is normally skipped for meetings.
The board will investigate where the county will allocate what could be close to $3 million in settlement funds over the next 15 years.
The county joined the class action suit brought by a group of law firms, including Crueger-Dickinson out of Wisconsin, in 2021. Since that time several settlements have been reached that have resulted in one lump-sum payment and now recurring payments based on settlements with multiple distributors and manufacturers.
The lawsuits allege the manufacturers and distributors contributed to the opioid crisis in the country. Several other lawsuits are currently pending, including bankruptcy claims of several manufacturers, distributors, and retail pharmacies. They are also accused of downplaying the addictive properties of opioid painkillers.
A settlement with Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, and Teva has been reached and local governments are now signing agreements to be part of those settlement funds, as well.
A strategy to use the funds was part of all active settlement agreements that outlines how the funds can be used including purchasing opioid overdose medications, treating opioid addiction, education and therapy programs, pregnancy education, and others.
Seventy-five percent of a local government’s settlement funds are to be used in those core strategies, while 25% can be used in more widespread functions such as employee training and more peripheral strategies.
Lee County has used about $250,000 for Lee County EMS payroll that included training for nine new employees hired when Blessing Keokuk Hospital closed its doors.
In an unrelated issue, Schulz also told the board that he had submitted a letter of support for Lee County to have the final stop for the next RAGBRAI event. He said there was a deadline quickly approaching for communication with the event staff. He said the county would stand to benefit from the tourism dollars associated with being the final stop of the event.