Community Access
Last updated
Maine
Last updated
50% Maine Recovery Fund share: Yes (required). According to the of the (Council), which directs uses of this 50% share,[1] the Council is required to meet publicly at least twice a year and use at least one meeting to host a “public forum through which the Council can receive input from stakeholders and the public.”[2] The Council is also required to consult with the public on the methods, findings, and conclusions of the statewide opioid abatement needs assessment that it must complete at least every two years.[3]
The Council’s included the opportunity for in-person or written comments, and an online survey was also distributed to solicit public input. Sign up for the Council’s meeting updates (upper right side of ) and watch out for similar opportunities to submit feedback in future.
Details on upcoming and past meetings of the Council can be reviewed . Recent agendas indicate that most regular meetings do not include the opportunity for public comment.
30% local share: Up to each locality (not required). Local governments are not required to seek public input on uses of their collective 30% shares. However, each may choose to seek such input. For example, the Rockland City Council voted to establish a committee to develop spending recommendations for opioid settlement funds. Those recommendations “will then go to Rockland citizens through a participatory budgeting process.”[4] Watch for other opportunities to weigh in on city and county spending decisions, such as city council meetings and town halls.
20% state share: No opportunities available (not required). The state has not established recurring opportunities for the public to provide input on uses of its 20% share.[5]
Yes. The Maine Recovery Council has previously invited community organizations to apply for funding. Visit the Council’s to see current funding opportunities. Local governments also may create grant programs to distribute their share of funds. The existence, parameters, and processes for local settlement grant programs will vary by locality, so stay alert for new opportunities. Visit the (OpioidSettlementTracker.com and Legal Action Center) for the most up-to-date information on settlement grant opportunities for community organizations.
For updates on the Maine Recovery fund share, visit the Maine Recovery Council’s and . The state Attorney General’s (AG) website also contains a calendar of the state’s opioid settlement-related meetings and events, and a linked page directs questions about the Council to .[6]
FAQs from Maine’s AG states that the “best way to find out about what your community is doing with its settlement funds is to call your county administrators, or if your city or town is a participating subdivision[,] … the city or town office” and provides a . See also websites for the individual localities (e.g., , ).
A single resource containing updates specific to the state share could not be found.[7] For general updates, see the state Attorney General’s website.
Not applicable.
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, Sec. 203-C(2). ↑
Bylaws of the Maine Recovery Council, Sec. (January 31, 2024). ↑
Bylaws of the Maine Recovery Council, Sec. (January 31, 2024). ↑
Stephen Betts. . The Courier-Gazette. April 5, 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑
If you see this change, email . There is no legal requirement for decision-makers to seek public input on uses of this share. ↑
. Office of the Maine Attorney General website. Accessed September 1, 2024 (“8. Who do I contact for more information? To contact your county, city or town please see above for the list of contact information. For inquiries to the Maine Recovery Counsel, please email: ”). ↑
If you see this change, email . ↑
