NEW CUMBERLAND — The Hancock County Commission will be taking its next step to distribute the county’s allotment of opioid settlement funds.

According to a notice sent to The Weirton Daily Times by Commission President Eron Chek Wednesday evening, commissioners will meet in a work session at 7:30 a.m. Monday “to discuss Opioid Settlement Funding Goals and Evaluation Standards.”

The meeting, to take place in the Commission Office, will be open to the public. The notice also was posted under the “Community Postings” portion of the county commission area of Hancock County’s official website.

The county previously developed an application, approved by commissioners in August, for use by agencies and organizations wishing to receive a portion of the available funds.

According to the form, “the intended uses of opioid funds are limited to specific purposes according to the West Virginia First memorandum of understanding,” generally classified as providing for education, emergency services, prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.

The county’s application requests information to include an entity’s full legal name, Federal Employer Identification Number, address, email and phone number, the names of the entity’s board of directors, officers or members.

The form also asks applicants to describe the proposed use of any funds awarded, and how they would fit into the general categories, an estimate of the project’s cost, a description of other funding sources, the amount being requested from the county, how the funds will further the project and any potential future needs from the county.

All decisions on monetary awards will be made by the county commission.

Funding is being made available to the county through settlement agreements reached through a series of lawsuits filed by the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office against various pharmaceutical companies and regulated through the West Virginia First memorandum of understanding.

As part of the memorandum, local governmental entities receiving opioid settlement funds agree to provide the funds toward education, emergency services, prevention, intervention, or rehabilitation in an effort to combat the state’s opioid epidemic.