Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Settlements topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Allegany County commissioners agree to join three opioid settlements, contingent on state allocation
Summary
In closed executive session, Allegany County commissioners unanimously approved participation in settlements with Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the Sackler family and a group of eight manufacturers, contingent on the state attorney general confirming a previously discussed 70/30 allocation of proceeds.
In a closed executive session the Allegany County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to participate in three proposed opioid-related settlements: the Purdue Pharmaceuticals settlement, the Sackler family settlement and a settlement grouping eight manufacturers, county attorneys reported.
Attorney Bruce Poole briefed the commissioners during the Aug. 21 closed meeting and recommended participation in the Purdue Pharmaceuticals settlement and in the Sackler family settlement; commissioners then voted to participate in each. Commissioners also approved participation in the settlement with the group of eight manufacturers, Poole said.
The approvals are contingent on the Maryland Attorney General—s office confirming the same 70/30 allocation of settlement proceeds that governed prior opioid settlements, Poole told commissioners. The county authorized County Administrator Jason Bennett to sign necessary documents related to the settlements, according to the closed-session summary prepared by County Attorney Beeman.
The closed session summary says present for the meeting were all three county commissioners, County Administrator Jason Bennett, County Attorney Beeman, attorney Bruce Poole and recording secretary Victoria Norman. The meeting record states the votes in closed session were unanimous.
Because the votes took place in executive session under the limited exceptions that allow attorney-client and personnel consultations, Poole and county legal staff said the approvals are conditional on the Attorney General—s confirmation of the allocation formula before final execution of settlement paperwork.
No dollar amounts or distribution schedules specific to Allegany County were disclosed in the public summary of the closed session. Commissioners did not take further public action on the settlements at the open portion of the meeting.
Officials said the closed session concluded at 4:52 p.m.
