Williams County commissioners on Aug. 5 voted to participate in nine national opioid‑litigation settlements and authorized the county’s outside legal counsel to vote in favor of Purdue Pharma’s proposed bankruptcy plan, which implements a nationwide settlement.

County legal staff described two settlement tracks: a proposed $6.5 billion payment from the Sackler family in staged payments and about $909 million in Purdue bankruptcy assets, plus an additional proposed $720 million from a group of manufacturers (Alvogen, Amneal, Apotex, Hikma, Endeavor, Mylan, Sun and Citus) to be distributed across many states and political subdivisions. County counsel requested two motions: one to participate and sign participation forms for all settlements and a second to authorize the county’s outside counsel to submit Williams County’s vote accepting Purdue’s bankruptcy plan.

Commissioners approved both motions by roll call. The county will participate in the settlements and the outside counsel will cast an accepting vote in the Purdue bankruptcy process on Williams County’s behalf. County staff did not specify exact local recovery amounts at the meeting; commissioners authorized participation and the bankruptcy‑plan vote so the county can receive whatever allocations are determined by the settlement distribution processes.

County officials characterized the settlements as the result of national litigation and bankruptcy resolution; they noted distribution will be spread among multiple states and local governments. Commissioners did not make an allocation decision at the meeting and did not attach conditions to participation.