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September 9, 2025 <br /> <br /> <br /> In June 2025, the City received two additional settlement disbursements of <br />Settlement Funds, each in the amount of $12,366.81, for a total disbursement of <br />$24,733.62, which was accepted and appropriated through City Council ordinance 2025- <br />53 adopted on July 8, 2025. <br /> <br /> In August 2025, the City received an additional disbursement of Settlement Funds <br />in the amount of $30,281.47, which was accepted and appropriated through City Council <br />ordinance 2025-63 adopted on August 26, 2025. <br /> <br /> In August 2025, the City also received additional disbursements of Settlement <br />Funds in the total amount of $194,168.12 (consisting of individual checks in the amounts <br />of $29,785.31, $60,773.94, and $103,608.87). <br /> <br /> It is necessary for City Council to accept and appropriate these additional <br />disbursements. <br /> <br /> The Settlement MOU requires the City to use the Settlement Funds for “Approved <br />Abatement Purposes”, which it defines as: “efforts to treat, prevent, or reduce opioid use <br />disorder or the misuse of opioids or to otherwise abate or remediate the opioid <br />epidemic…”. Specific examples of Approved Abatement Purposes are described in <br />Section (C)(4)(a) through (j) of the Settlement MOU. <br /> <br /> The proposed ordinance appropriates the $194,168.12 allocation of Settlement <br />Funds to the Department of Behavioral Healthcare Services for use for Approved <br />Abatement Purposes. <br /> <br />Financial impact: <br /> No local match is required as a condition of the funding. <br /> <br /> <br />Recommended Action: <br /> Adoption of the ordinance. <br /> <br /> <br />Next Steps Following Council Action: <br /> <br />BHS will expend the Settlement Funds for Approved Abatement Pu <br /> rposes. <br /> <br />Motion by Mr. Hugel, and seconded by Ms. Bryant, to adopt the following <br />ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: <br /> <br />“ORDINANCE ACCEPTING SETTLEMENT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $194,168.12 <br />FROM OPIOID SETTLEMENTS AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT IN THE FY <br />2026 BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SERVICE FUND FOR USE BY BHS FOR <br />APPROVED ABATEMENT PURPOSES AS DEFINED BY THE VIRGINIA OPIOID <br />FUND AND SETTLEMENT ALLOCATION MOU. <br />” <br /> <br />Ayes: Bryant, Dodson, Hugel, Moody, Thomas, Tillage, Glover <br />Nays: None <br /> <br />25 - 254 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting settlement funds in the amount of <br />$150,714.13 from the PFAS settlement with the 3M Company and appropriating said <br />amount in the FY 2026 Public Utilities Fund for use by the Department of Public <br />Utilities for water supply testing and treatment and other authorized uses under the <br />terms of the settlement. <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br /> Several public water supply systems filed suit against the 3M Company for <br />historical contamination by PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The City of <br />Portsmouth joined the litigation and the class action settlement. <br /> <br /> As a result of the settlement, the City will receive contributions from 3M over a <br />period of several years for the testing and treatment of the City’s water supply. <br /> <br />Discussion: <br /> <br /> The first settlement contribution was received in August and must be appropriated <br /> <br />for use by the Public Utilities Department. <br /> <br /> The settlement funds will be used to help ensure the continued quality of the City’s <br /> <br />water supply. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />