Warrick County commissioners vote to remove Costco from county opioid litigation

At a special meeting of the Warrick County Board of Commissioners (date not specified), Commissioner Zayas moved to "release Costco as a litigant in the opioid litigation as recommended by legal counsel," and commissioners approved the motion by voice vote.

The motion came immediately after a 30-minute executive session held under the Revised Code of Washington's executive-session statute for litigation. The nut graffrom the session was that county legal counsel had recommended removing Costco from the list of litigants; commissioners voted on that recommendation in open session.

Commissioner Zayas said, "For my first motion I move to release Costco as a litigant in the opioid litigation as recommended by legal counsel." The motion was seconded, and the chair called for a voice vote. Members responded "aye" and the chair announced the motion passed. The meeting transcript does not identify a roll-call vote, any dissents, abstentions, or the specific legal advice or reasons provided in executive session.

County staff present included representatives from the prosecutor's office and other county offices, but the meeting record does not disclose further details about any agreement terms, potential settlement, or next steps for the litigation. The only public record in the meeting transcript is the motion, the statement that it followed advice from legal counsel, and the voice vote in favor.

No additional public action or directive about the opioid litigation was recorded at the meeting. The county did not provide further public detail on the rationale, any written opinion, or whether the removal of Costco affects other defendants or pending filings.