Rutherford Commissioners Delay Vote

Rutherford County commissioners have delayed a key decision on how to spend opioid settlement funds, tabling a vote during their June 1 meeting as residents voiced concerns over transparency and housing.

The board held off on approving a list of recommended projects that would use money from national opioid settlements with drug manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies. The funding plan, reviewed by a county subcommittee, would cover projects over the next two fiscal years, starting July 1.

Instead of voting, commissioners postponed the decision. They are now expected to take it up during a special meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 4, when they will also consider adopting the county’s budget.

The delay leaves local agencies and organizations waiting to learn whether their applications for funding will move forward. The settlement money is required to be used for efforts like addiction treatment, prevention and recovery.

During the budget public hearing, several people spoke to commissioners, including this reporter, who asked the county to improve access to meetings by adding closed captioning to videos and recording all meetings.

Other speakers drew strong reactions as they described a lack of available housing in the county and the challenges facing people experiencing homelessness.

The opioid crisis remains a strain on local resources, especially for law enforcement and first responders who regularly respond to overdoses.

In other business, commissioners approved a proclamation recognizing June as Elder Abuse Awareness Month.

They also heard an update from the Department of Social Services about upcoming changes to Medicaid under the new state law. Officials said the changes will increase oversight and could add more work for caseworkers.

Commissioners also discussed the rollout of a statewide system called NC PATH, launched last year, which will allow counties to share case information more easily.

It’s not yet clear if any changes will be made to the opioid funding recommendations before Thursday’s vote.