Pensacola City Council clears chamber to discuss prospective opioid settlement, then adjourns

Council President Moore called a special meeting of the Pensacola City Council at the request of the city's attorneys to discuss prospective settlement agreements related to the city's opioid litigation against AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Purdue Pharma LP.

"We'll go ahead and call this special meeting of the Pensacola City Council to order, and we'll begin with a roll call, madam clerk," Council President Moore said, after which the clerk completed a roll call showing the mayor and council members present. The council then asked noncouncil members in chambers to leave so attorneys could discuss the prospective settlement privately.

The matter identified by Moore included City of Pensacola v. AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation, case number 1:18-op-45331-DAP, and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Purdue Pharma LP, case number 19-23649. City officials did not discuss settlement terms in open session during the meeting.

After the private discussion, the council returned to open session. "We're good to go. Alrighty. So we're back in the sunshine," Moore said. He then stated that because this was a special meeting no other business could be discussed and adjourned the meeting.

No motions or votes on settlement terms were recorded in the public portion of the meeting, and no settlement terms were announced during the session. The council did not provide a public timetable or additional details about any next steps in the transcript of the special meeting.