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Gratiot County commissioners approve opioid settlement participation, appoint magistrate and set Sept. 16 budget hearing
Summary
At its Aug. 19 meeting the board voted to participate in the national opioid settlement under Resolution 25-338, approved a litigation settlement, appointed a non‑attorney magistrate and set the 2025–26 budget public hearing for Sept. 16.
The Gratiot County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 19 took several formal actions including joining a national opioid settlement, approving a pending litigation settlement, appointing a non‑attorney magistrate and scheduling the 2025–26 budget hearing.
Opioid settlement: By roll call the board approved Resolution 25‑338, titled “Authorization Entry for Participation [in] Partial Settlement of the National Prescription Opioid Litigation and Entry of State Legal Government Interstate Agreement concerning allocations of settlement proceeds.” The motion to accept participation in the opioid litigation was made by Commissioner Tim Gay and seconded by Commissioner Bailey; roll call votes recorded “yes” from Commissioner Gay, Commissioner Saffee, Commissioner Bailey and Commissioner Bunting; Commissioner Owens was absent. The board instructed staff to complete the administrative steps spelled out in the resolution.
Pending litigation settlement: The board also approved a county cost‑sharing settlement in the matter of Thomas A. Fox v. County of Saginaw, Case No. 19‑CB‑11887, and authorized the board chair to sign the settlement documents. The motion to adopt the settlement was read into the record and carried on roll call (commissioners recorded as voting “yes” on the roll call). The chair was authorized to sign as explained by county counsel during the closed session briefing.
Appointment of magistrate: The board voted to appoint Caitlin Green to the non‑attorney magistrate position for Gratiot County. County staff noted a $50,000 public official performance bond has been filed and that the applicant has received required approvals from local judges. The motion to appoint was moved by Commissioner Schopze and seconded by Commissioner Tim Gay and carried on voice vote.
Budget hearing set: Commissioners set the annual budget public hearing and adoption date for Sept. 16, 2025. The motion to set the date was moved by Commissioner Bailey and seconded by Commissioner Yeh; roll call recorded the motion as approved.
Ending: The meeting included additional routine reports, an airport update and finance committee activity; no final 2025–26 budget was adopted at the Aug. 19 meeting. The public hearing and final budget vote remain scheduled for Sept. 16, 2025.
