FORT KENT, Maine — A task force designated to help determine the best use of opioid settlement funds in Aroostook County now has an official set of bylaws and conflict-of-interest policy.
The Aroostook Opioid Task Force has operated for two years without such guidance in place.
That structural delay reflects what’s happening around Maine as communities still struggle with how to distribute settlement funding. Money started flowing into the state three years ago. Hancock County adopted a task force in February, and Bangor, too, has been slow to allocate its funds even as overdoses rose.
The money is part of a national settlement that will bring $261 to Maine and $2.69 million to Aroostook County through 2038.
The Aroostook bylaws also follow a controversial decision by commissioners to use the funds to hire a school resource officer in a one-year pilot program, who would rotate among six schools.
The plan sparked outcry from members of the local recovery community, who questioned the effectiveness of school cops and said the task force should have been consulted. One member resigned, saying the program didn’t reflect the intended purpose of the funds.
That debate led to increased focus on the need for bylaws. County Finance Director Dana Gendreau said Wednesday she had wanted to help establish such rules for the task force since she became interim county administrator in January.
“There were no bylaws for the opioid task force, and it was something that I felt strongly about, as did members of the task force themselves,” Gendreau said.
The group had met, discussed and approved the bylaws presented, she said.
The rules establish that the task force serves only in an advisory capacity and that it will review and score applications for opioid settlement funding and present findings to the commissioners.
Commissioners will make final funding decisions, according to the bylaws.
Task force members will not have term limits, but will be contacted at the beginning of each calendar year to see if they would like to continue serving.
The conflict-of-interest policy requires members to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived financial, professional or personal interest that could influence or even appear to influence their impartiality. Members are not able to participate in any work or discussion for the duration of their conflict. Any members who violate the policy may be subject to removal from the task force.
Commissioner William Dobbins said the guidance should prevent any future miscommunication about opioid settlement spending moving forward.
Dobbins abstained from voting on the resource officer funding earlier this year due to his role in submitting and presenting the initiative. He also serves as superintendent at two of the six schools where the officer will work.
Claire Nichols, an Aroostook County educator who recently criticized the commissioners’ school resource officer decision in a Bangor Daily News column, spoke at the meeting about meeting with people who supported the school resource officer position to get their perspective.
“I don’t disagree that our schools need resources, but what struck me was that some of the same people supporting these decisions seem to have no issue with another liquor license being approved in the county,” Nichols said.
She asked if any officials in the room had attended the opioid response summit earlier this year, and when no hands were raised, she encouraged them to learn more about people in the state impacted by the opioid crisis, emphasizing that they are responsible for overseeing a significant amount of money.
Commissioners did not respond to Nichols’ comments.
The task force’s next meeting will take place at noon on Aug. 25 in the Caribou courthouse’s administrative hearing room.