CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced the next steps in distributing opioid settlements throughout the state for those municipalities that signed on with the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding.
Morrisey said during a news conference Monday that this is a step toward healing the communities harmed by the opioid epidemic in West Virginia.
After the filing of the West Virginia First Foundation articles of incorporation, Morrisey's office mailed letters to all the counties and cities that had signed onto the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding. This informs elected officials about the next steps following the creation of the foundation and provides information about the settlement funds.
"Our mission to heal the wounds of the past is on solid ground as the framework desperately needed to facilitate the management of the state’s and political subdivisions’ is starting to take shape," Morrisey said.
In March, the state legislature formally recognized the West Virginia First Foundation through the legislative process with Senate Bill 674 and Gov. Jim Justice signed the bill into law on March 22.
The articles of incorporation for the foundation were filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State on May 18.
By July 17, the initial Board of Directors must be elected. It will have 11 members, five of whom will be appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
To represent the interests of local governments, the MOU establishes six regions, and one member will be chosen from each of those regions. The regions are Ohio County, Berkeley County, Wood County, Monongalia County, Kanawha County and Raleigh County.
Meetings are already scheduled in Berkeley, Monongalia, Kanawha and Raleigh for early July.
During the news conference, Morrisey also announced that DRiWaterstone Human Capital will work to find an executive director for the West Virginia First Foundation
"I am looking forward to working with them to identify the best possible candidate to serve as the first executive director of the West Virginia First Foundation," Morrisey said. "We are hopeful to have identified such a candidate in approximately 30 to 60 days."
Morrisey said while this is a time to heal, it's not the time to let down our guard.
"We will continue to fight for the families affected by this epidemic and we will serve as the voices of the sons and daughters they have lost," Morrisey said. "We must prevent another generation from falling prey to senseless death and the West Virginia First Foundation will be a major step forward on the path to recovery."
