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March 28, 2023
<br />
<br />At a Regular Meeting of the City Council on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, there were
<br />present:
<br />
<br />Mayor Shannon E. Glover, Vice Mayor Lisa L. Lucas-Burke, William E. Moody, Jr., Dr.
<br />Mark M. Whitaker, Mark A. Hugel, Vernon L. Tillage, Jr., Interim City Manager Mimi C.
<br />Terry, City Attorney Lavonda Graham-Williams.
<br />
<br />Mayor Glover asked for a moment of silence for the passing of Sergeant Lodge
<br />which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
<br />
<br /> Mayor Glover called the meeting to order and welcomed all in attendance.
<br />
<br /> Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Mr. Tillage, to adopt the minutes of a
<br />Called Meeting of March 14, 2023, of a Regular Meeting of March 14, 2023, and of a
<br />Special Called Meeting of March 20, 2023, and was adopted by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Hugel, Lucas-Burke, Moody, Tillage, Whitaker, Glover
<br />Nays: None
<br />
<br />- City Manager’s Report -
<br />
<br />23 - 104 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting settlement funds in the amount of
<br />$80,243.88 from the National Opioids Settlement Fund Trust and appropriating said
<br />amount in the FY 2023 Behavioral Healthcare Service Fund for use by BHS for
<br />approved abatement purposes as defined by the Virginia Opioid Fund and
<br />Settlement Allocation MOU.
<br />
<br />Background:
<br />
<br /> The City of Portsmouth was one of several Virginia localities to file suit against
<br />entities engaged in the manufacture, marketing, promotion, distribution, and dispensing
<br />of opioids.
<br />
<br /> In 2021 the Commonwealth of Virginia reached a global settlement of claims
<br />against many of the opioid entities on behalf of itself and its participating localities,
<br />including Portsmouth. The settlement provided for payment of approximately
<br />$608,000,000 to the Commonwealth (the “Settlement Funds”) over an 18-year period.
<br />
<br /> In order to participate in the Commonwealth’s settlement and receive distributions
<br />of a portion of the Settlement Funds, Portsmouth released its claims and entered into a
<br />Virginia Opioid Abatement Fund and Settlement Allocation Memorandum of
<br />Understanding with the Commonwealth and other localities (the “Settlement MOU”).
<br />
<br /> City Council approved the Settlement MOU by Resolution R-21-24 adopted on
<br />August 10, 2021.
<br />
<br />Discussion:
<br />
<br /> Under the terms of the Settlement MOU, the City will receive regular
<br />disbursements of a portion of the Settlement Funds received by the Commonwealth.
<br />
<br /> In August of 2022, the City received a disbursement of Settlement Funds in the
<br />amount of $78,765.20, which was accepted and appropriated through City Council
<br />ordinance 2022-80 adopted on September 13, 2022.
<br />
<br /> In October of 2022, the City received an additional disbursement of Settlement
<br />Funds in the amount of $82,778.38, which was accepted and appropriated through City
<br />Council ordinance 2022-93 adopted on October 25, 2022.
<br />
<br /> In November of 2022, the City received an additional disbursement of Settlement
<br />Funds in the amount of $315,332.05, which was accepted and appropriated through City
<br />Council ordinance 2022-98 adopted on November 22, 2022.
<br />
<br /> In February of 2023, the City received an additional disbursement of Settlement
<br />Funds in the amount of $20,272.32, which was accepted and appropriated through City
<br />Council ordinance 2023-09 adopted on February 28, 2023.
<br />
<br /> In March 2023, the City received two additional disbursements of Settlement
<br />Funds in the amounts of $53,847.86 and $26,396.02, for a total of $80,243.88.
<br />
<br /> It is necessary for City Council to accept and appropriate these additional
<br />disbursements.
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