TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kelly Strickland, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Roberto E. Bryan Jr., Chief of Police
Albert Baker, Assistant Economic and Community Development Director
DATE: November 10,2025
RE:Title
Adoption of Special Revenue Fund Project Ordinance 2026-11 and the Associated Resolution to Appropriate and Direct the Expenditure of $163,800 of Opioid Settlement FundsTitle
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
ALL
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
GOAL I: The City of Fayetteville will be a safe and secure community.
GOAL IV: The City of Fayetteville will be a highly desirable place to live, work and recreate.
Executive Summary:
The City Council is asked to direct $163,800.00 in opioid settlement funds via a resolution and appropriate with a Special Revenue Ordinance (SRO 2026-11) for the enrollment of 364 officers in the Operational Readiness for Police Offices: Effective Strategies & Practical Techniques for Addressing Opioid Use Disorder & Co-occurring Conditions training course through Fayetteville State University (FSU).
Background:
North Carolina is part of a historic opioid settlement that is estimated to be over $50 billion that brings relief to communities impacted by opioids. These funds must be used to either support treatment, recovery, harm reduction or other life-saving programs and services. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the State and local governments directs how opioid settlement funds are distributed and used in our state. It is projected that the City of Fayetteville is to receive $3,740,222 between now and 2038.
In June 2023, the Council voted to authorize a resolution to fund the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program and reaffirmed this commitment in June 2025 with an additional allocation. This 4-hour online course, offered by FSU, is designed to give the City of Fayetteville Police Officers practical strategies to manage challenges posed by the opioid crisis and handle interactions with individuals affected by Opioid Use Disorder and co-occurring Substance Use Disorders or Mental Health conditions that will help de-escalate crises, connect individuals to LEAD for needed resources while minimizing risks to both the officer and the community. The training directly supports the Police Department’s commitment to improving public safety and addressing the opioid crisis with effective, evidence-based practices.
Issues/Analysis:
The City may direct its opioid settlement funds to the County or distribute funds to nonprofits or other entities to use in a manner consistent with the terms of the MOA. There are two options for spending funds:
Option A “Short List” - High-impact strategies that are directly related to the current impacts of opioid abuse in our community (Reactive)
Option B “Long List” - Longer-term treatment and prevention strategies that have been identified through a prescribed strategic planning process within Option A (Proactive)
City Council must first authorize expenditure through a paired resolution and budget ordinance. The resolution must state the specific strategy or strategies funded by identifying each strategy (Option A or B).
Budget Impact:
Opioid funding does not require a General Fund match and can only be used for the purposes outlined within the MOA.
Options:
1. Adopt the resolution to direct the expenditure of Opioid Settlement Funds and the accompanying Special Revenue Ordinance 2026-11.
2. Do not adopt the resolution to direct the expenditure of Opioid Settlement Funds and the accompanying Special Revenue Ordinance 2026-11 and provide staff with further direction to appropriate the funding.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council adopt the resolution to direct the expenditure of Opioid Settlement Funds and the accompanying Special Revenue Ordinance (SRO 2026-11).
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Attachments:
SRO 2026-11
Draft Resolution to Direct The Expenditure of Opioid Settlement Funds
FSU Operational Readiness for Police Officers course overview