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Lamar Council authorizes mayor to join Purdue/Sackler and Walmart opioid settlements; defers PEP funding increase
Summary
At a Sept. 29 special meeting, the Lamar City Council unanimously authorized the mayor to sign agreements to participate in national opioid settlements with Purdue Pharma/Sackler and with Walmart, and voted to defer a request to increase funding for PEP from $25,000 to $50,000 until the 2026 budget process (Bates abstained on the PEP item).
The Lamar City Council on Sept. 29 approved two last-minute agenda items authorizing the mayor to sign documents to join national opioid settlements: one related to Purdue Pharma LP and the Sackler family settlement and another related to the Walmart settlement.
Council members said the documents required a mayoral signature before the end of the month; a council member moved to authorize the mayor to sign and the council approved both authorizations by unanimous voice vote.
Earlier in the meeting councilmembers discussed a separate request from the PEP (economic prosperity director) to increase the city’s annual funding from $25,000 to $50,000 starting this year. Council members observed that the city’s budget was nearly complete and agreed to defer consideration of the funding increase until the 2026 budgeting process (revisit in August 2026). The motion to defer passed; the transcript records Councilman Bates as abstaining on that vote.
The meeting record did not include the full settlement documents or amounts the city would receive under the opioid settlements, only motions authorizing the mayor to sign any necessary paperwork to participate. The council indicated the settlements were funds the city could accept but did not discuss or publish allocation plans for any received funds during the open meeting.
The council approved both authorizations to join the national settlements by voice vote and recorded no opposing votes in the meeting transcript.
Next steps identified in the meeting: the mayor’s office is to sign and submit participation paperwork before the deadline noted in the council discussion; staff will follow up on budget timing for the PEP funding question in the 2026 budget cycle.
