CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Montgomery County Commission is considering improving the county’s ability to manage opioid settlement funds by adding a new Grants Analysis position to the Accounts & Budgets Department.
At Monday’s informal commission meeting, Director of Accounts and Budgets Cassie Wheeler said the county received $900,000 from direct settlements and will receive an additional $3.4 million from the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council. These additional funds represent four years of settlement payments and will be available to the county until 2026, though they are expected to go out until 2038.
Wheeler said there are spending requirements on these funds, and the county is approaching a deadline to allocate them. Though she expects the commissioners will pass a resolution to allocate them within the month.
Wheeler said the new position will “help them to coordinate the efforts of the county to be able to put a plan together, to spend these funds, to help our citizens and help our employees of Montgomery County.”
Mayor Wes Golden added that the intent of the opioid lawsuit was to reimburse the county for the tax dollars spend due to the opioid epidemic. He said their main goal is to offset tax dollars with that money, and that they’ve had an internal committee identify their needs. Golden said the new position will have the same requirements as a grant writer.
Reclassifying positions
The County Commission also discussed a resolution that would reclassify two positions within the Accounts & Budgets Department. This would change the vacant Administrative Specialist and part-time Scanning Assistant positions to Financial Manager and part-time Senior Accountant positions, respectively.
Since the vacancy of the Administrative Specialist position, Wheeler has been able to spread administrative duties among her staff, so the position appears unnecessary. So she’s asking instead for a Financial Manager position, which will help with the higher-level needs and gaps in the department. According to the resolution, a Financial Manager position will better serve the department and will ensure that they are producing quality, timely and accurate financial reporting.
Wheeler said her current Senior Accountant is retiring but has expressed interest in training the new Senior Accountant, which is a vital role in the department. Wheeler asked to replace the vacant part-time Scanning Assistant position with a part-time Senior Accountant position for the purpose of training a new Senior Accountant. The resolution states the position will also help them modernize processes, increase payment security and improve efficiency.
Golden added that the county is seeking more cross-trained employees for these positions.
The commission is expected to vote on these measures at the formal meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, at the County Courthouse.