SE Colorado Region 19 Opioid Settlement Board
February 12, 2024 via Zoom
Present, County Represented
Blaine Arbuthnot, Terry McMillian, Crowley
Wendy Buxton-Andrade, Prowers
Rick Butler, Baca
Rob Oquist, Otero
John Galusha, Huerfano
Eppie Griego, Steve Bryant, Pueblo
Guests
Sarah Long, Pueblo County Attorney’s Office
Kristin Carpenter , Colorado Consortium for Prescription
Rob Miller, Safeside Recovery
Ellie Coughlin
Marisa Stoller
Kristine Phillips
Rob Archuleta
Michelle Francis
Arlene Cook, Dee Leyba, Otero County Public Health
Nathaniel Riggs
Theodora Barychewsky
Elizabeth Riffle
Katelyn Dame, PRC
Ronda Bucholz
Brandy K
Michelle W
Aubrie Randford, CO State University Prevention Research Center
Robert Guerrero
Sara Colalancia
Sarah M
Brian Richmeier, Remedy Healthcare
Christine Charron, Colorado Health Network
Call to Order
Wendy Buxton-Andrade calls the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m.
Approval of Agenda
Blaine Arbuthnot motioned and Rick Butler seconded the approval of the agenda with the addition under the other business for the December facilitator payment – Agenda approved.
Approval of Minutes
Rob Oquist and Terry McMillian moved and seconded the approval of the minutes – Minutes approved.
Facilitator Update
Wendy gave a report on the financial update from Year One. It is wrapped up and the final remaining Year One funding will be issued on Thursday, February 15, 2024 from Pueblo County to Crowley County in the amount of $421,114.27. Thank you for all the hard work to Sara Long and Meg Scarlett from Pueblo County for helping Rose and Wendy sort all the funding out and making sure the correct amount was transferred to the new fiscal agent.
Wendy gave a report on the RFP Committee. They met on Friday, February 9, 2024 to review all the Prevention and Education RFP’s submitted. The RFP Committee has some questions in regards to one of the RFP respondent’s budgets. They have asked some questions in regards to that budget and is waiting for the response at this time. The RFP Committee is asking for this agenda item to be tabled for now because of the question they have on the RFP responses as well as the full national settlement dollars have not come in to the fiscal agent yet. The committee feels that no awards should be made until the money is received and ready to be handed out.
Rose gave an update on the RFP Committee’s goal to make sure that roll-over amount is minimal and that they want to make sure money is getting to qualified projects. The RFP Committee will again meet to review the information the applicant gave on the budget question and will bring their findings back to the full board, hopefully at the next meeting.
VOTING ITEM: Prevention and Education grant recipients
Blaine Arbuthnot and Rob Oquist moved and seconded to table the item – motion approved.
VOTING ITEM: Clarifying time extension for Health Solutions
Sarah Long, Pueblo County Attorney’s Office, explained that they will need a clarification on the extension timeline for their contract and the Board will need to decide on the exact extension of the contract dates. The Board had previously granted the extension but did not give a timeline of the extension. Health Solutions has asked for a month to month, but the contract will need more than just a month-to-month extension and Pueblo’s County Attorney Fffice is asking for a six-month extension so the contract extension is clear. If they need a second extension after that, it will need to come back to the Board for additional extensions at that time. Blaine Arbuthnot asked if the money has already been issued to Health Solutions and Sarah Long answered that the money has already been issued. The Board will just need to decide on the length of the extension that they granted at the last meeting. Rose clarified that Health Solutions contract was started on May 12, 2023.
Rob Oquist and Eppie Griego moved and seconded to grant a six-month extension to the current Health Solutions Contract – motion approved.
Other business
Wendy led a discussion on the Facilitator Contract. Rose’s contract with Pueblo ended on November 30, 2023 and the contract with Crowley County was signed in November but the start date was for January 1, 2024. This made for a gap in the contract for the month of December, 2023. The Board needs to decide on the payment for December for Rose’s services at the new rate or the old rate of service. Blaine clarified the contract start dates and the amount that the Board is paying at $7,000 for the 2024 year.
Blaine Arbuthnot and John Galusha moved and seconded the approval of payment of the Facilitator for December at the 2024 rate of $7,000 – motion approved.
Rob Oquist thanked Rose for all her hard work and Wendy for her organization on the meetings.
Adjournment
Blaine Arbuthnot and Rick Butler motioned to adjournment – Motion approved.
Next Meeting:
Monday, March 11th at 3:00 p.m.