Middletown Board unanimously authorizes participation in statewide opioid settlement; township could receive an estimated $250,000

The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to participate in the statewide opioid litigation settlement and authorized the township manager to sign and file three required participation forms with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

Township Solicitor Mister Esposito told the board the settlement splits funds roughly 15% to the state, 70% to counties and 15% to participating municipalities. "For municipalities with a population between 60,000, which includes Middletown, the minimum amount expected to be received would be $250,000," Esposito said, adding that the money will be distributed over the next 18 years and that settlement counsel expects about 20% could be received next year but that timing is not guaranteed.

Esposito said the trust and allocation order restricts uses to opioid-abatement purposes and that municipalities will be required to certify annually how they spend the funds. He told the board the participation forms must be submitted by Jan. 2 to preserve eligibility.

Chair (unnamed) moved to authorize the township manager to complete and execute the Pennsylvania interstate allocation participation form, the Jensen settlement participation form and the distributor settlement participation form and forward them to the Attorney General’s Office; the motion was seconded and passed 5-0.

The board said staff and counsel will follow the trust order’s accounting and reporting requirements and that any actual disbursements will be reported and brought back to the board for appropriation and program decisions.

Next steps: staff will complete the required forms and submit them by the Jan. 2 deadline; any future allocations and program uses will be subject to the trust’s allowable-use list and board approval.