County creates position to oversee opioid settlement fund

CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio county announced a six-figure salary position Monday that will ensure all the money the county receives in settlements with drug companies is used to combat the opioid crisis.

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish announced that Brandy Carney, the county’s former chief of public safety and justice services officer, will take on the role of overseeing the settlement fund, Cleveland.com reported.

The county reported that a portion of Carney’s $130,500 annual salary will come from the settlement money.

Carney will be reporting to Chief of Staff Bill Mason and her first task will be to manage the disbursement of the settlement money between the county and major drug companies, currently totaling around $179 million.

The county created the fund to guarantee the money was used solely for addressing opioid addiction.

Carney will also continue some of her responsibilities as public safety chief.