Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Settlement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council backs state opioid settlements; one councilmember abstains citing personal loss
Summary
Murfreesboro approved a resolution to join Tennessee's participation in settlements with Purdue Pharma and other manufacturers; staff estimated the city's share at roughly $878,000 over 15 years. One councilmember abstained, saying a family opioid death made the sum insufficient.
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The City Council voted Sept. 18 to authorize Murfreesboro’s participation in Tennessee’s settlements with Purdue Pharma and eight other opioid manufacturers.
City attorney Mr. Tucker told the council the package is part of a national settlement structure administered in Tennessee that will distribute funds to state and participating municipalities over 15 years. Tucker said the city’s portion from the Purdue Pharma component would be small relative to the full settlement and estimated the city’s share could be about $878,000 over 15 years, subject to the state allocation formulas and participation rates.
An unidentified councilmember said they would abstain from the vote and explained, “my son died of an opioid overdose,” adding that the estimated $878,000 "is nothing." The council proceeded to vote and the resolution passed with the members present voting in favor.
Tucker noted restrictions on how municipalities may spend settlement proceeds and said prior local opioid-related funding has supported programs such as co-responder efforts. Council action requires the city to accept the state's settlement arrangement before the state's deadline, he said.
What happens next: The city will be eligible to receive its share as the state disburses funds over the settlement timeline and must follow the spending restrictions described in the settlement framework.
