Bangor’s opioid settlement funds advisory committee is asking for input from the public on how the city should spend money collected from national opioid settlements, the city announced Wednesday.
The committee plans to use the responses to craft a formal grant application for projects that will help people affected by the opioid epidemic.
The city is asking for letters from individuals and organizations on how the money should be spent and what the greatest needs are in the community. The request includes a list of questions about ideas for projects, how they would help people affected by the opioid crisis and how much they would cost.
People interested in giving feedback should send their ideas to the city manager’s office by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 5. Comments can be sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Bangor City Hall, attn: Opioid Settlement Funds Advisory Committee, City Manager’s Office, 73 Harlow St., Bangor, ME 04401
Afterward, the committee plans to review responses and finalize a grant application process, which will then be opened up to community organizations. Submitting a letter now is not required for organizations who plan to apply for funding later on.
The committee has also tentatively scheduled a workshop for 6 p.m. Sept. 17 for people who may want to apply for a portion of the funds.
Bangor started getting money from the settlements in 2022 and will receive at least $3.4 million by 2038.
The city had already received about $1 million in settlement funds and spent less than $20,000 of those funds on a needle cleanup contract by the time it formed the committee this spring. The city has faced criticism for its multi-year delay in deciding how to spend the money.
Earlier this month, the City Council approved a $550,000 proposal from the committee to fund an intensive case management program to combat the HIV outbreak in Penobscot County, which has primarily affected homeless people who use injection drugs.
Although the committee includes a variety of people with personal and professional experiences dealing with substance use issues, it has faced some backlash from people in the local recovery community who disagreed with the HIV proposal.
The plan will use up about half of the funds the city has received so far.
