Rutherford County ratifies opioid-settlement funding slate for treatment and outreach; United Way item held out

The Rutherford County Board of Commissioners revived consideration of opioid-settlement funding and approved a board resolution ratifying a recommended slate of seven awards after a recorded briefing by the county's contract opioid-settlement coordinator.

A commissioner moved to revive consideration of the project proposals that had been deferred at the board's June 1 meeting. The board then heard a recorded presentation by Scott Lute Kinnell, founder of Gatespring and the county's contract opioid-settlement coordinator, who described the selection process under the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the state and the county's choice of the collaborative strategic planning (CSP) path. Kinnell said the scoring committee, convened from January through May, screened conflicts of interest, used a published 100-point rubric with multiple independent scores per application and reconciled scores at a consensus meeting on May 13. Kinnell said 10 applications were received; the committee recommended seven awards and set three aside for specific reasons and follow-up technical assistance.

Kinnell described the recommendations as anchored to the CSP report the state accepted on 07/24/2025 and said the seven recommended awards total just over $2,000,000 across three years. He outlined the types of services proposed: evidence-based treatment expanded in partnership with McLeod Centers for Well-Being and Blue Ridge FQHC (including counseling, peer support, psychiatric services and care coordination at a co-located site), expanded peer support and transportation services, a prevention award for school-linked trust-based relational intervention services, community naloxone distribution, a Rutherford Mobile Harm Reduction Team operated by the United Way of Rutherford County and expanded in-reach treatment and screening in the detention facility through a preferred custody-treatment model. Kinnell emphasized the slate was grounded in community-identified needs and said committee documents and the audit trail are retained per MOA requirements and available on request.

During board discussion, the chair clarified that the resolution before the board approved the committee's recommendations except for item number 9 (a United Way application), and a commissioner moved to approve the resolution. One commissioner objected on principle to certain harm-reduction measures (specifically distribution of supplies) saying, "I don't believe that we should be encouraging them," and argued that such measures could enable continued use. No commissioner offered an alternative motion to reinstate that item in this session. The chair called the question and the board approved the resolution (voice/raised-hand vote), carrying the slate of seven awards while leaving the United Way item out of the immediate approval.

The board discussed transparency and oversight: Kinnell said the strategic planning committee will meet quarterly and that the county will hold annual public forums as required under the agreement, which he presented as opportunities for commissioners and the public to review awardee progress and ask questions.

What passed and next steps: The board approved the recommended slate (seven awards) by voice vote and deferred the United Way application. Kinnell noted records and the compliance crosswalk are available on request; the strategic planning committee will provide ongoing reporting.

Quote examples: "We're among the smaller group of counties ... that completed this process," Kinnell said, describing the county's path under the MOA. A commissioner opposed to distributing supplies said, "I don't believe that we should be encouraging them," and argued the approach "isn't the right thing" for him.

The board moved from this item to adjourn the meeting.