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Scituate council ratifies dismissal of town from one defendant in national opioid litigation; collective-bargaining talks discussed in closed session
Summary
Scituate — The Scituate Town Council convened in executive session to discuss national opioid litigation and upcoming Teamsters collective bargaining; it unanimously ratified dismissing the town from one defendant in the national opioid class action on national counsel’s recommendation, and sealed the vote.
Scituate — The Scituate Town Council convened in executive session to discuss two matters the council identified under Rhode Island law: pending national opioid litigation and collective bargaining with Teamsters Local 251 for a contract beginning July 1, 2025.
After the closed meeting the council announced it had taken one vote in executive session and that the vote concerned the national opioid litigation. Council President Collins said, “On conferring with the solicitor, he advised me to tell you that it was ratification of my dismissing Scituate’s participation in the class action suit for the litigation for opioids.” Collins said the council followed the recommendation of national counsel to agree to the dismissal of one defendant and that the town filed the related paperwork. He added the executive-session vote was unanimous and that the motion was sealed.
The council also listed collective bargaining with Teamsters Local 251 as a second executive-session topic. The agenda described that discussion as negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement beginning July 1, 2025; the council said it would announce any votes or actions from executive session or open session concerning those negotiations if and when they occur. No public roll-call vote on the Teamsters negotiations was reported at the meeting.
The council cited “Rhode Island General Laws 40 two-forty six-five a subsection 2” when moving into executive session for both items. The action on the opioid litigation was recorded as a sealed, unanimous ratification of dismissing the town from one defendant, taken on the advice of national counsel.
Members of the public asked at the meeting when details would be released; Collins said he would consult with the town solicitor about public notification. The council did not release further details about the terms of the dismissal or identify the specific defendant dismissed at the meeting.
