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Beaufort County caucus authorizes participation in opioid settlements
Summary
After executive session, the caucus authorized the county administrator to execute settlement documents for eight remaining pharmaceutical manufacturers in opioid litigation and approved joining the proposed Sackler family settlement; both motions were approved by the council.
Beaufort County’s caucus voted to authorize the county administrator to execute settlement agreements and related participation documents for eight remaining pharmaceutical manufacturers involved in local opioid litigation and to join a proposed nationwide settlement with members of the Sackler family.
The motion to authorize settlement participation was read into the record by a council member and moved "that the council authorize the county administrator to execute the settlement agreement, and all related participation forms and documents related to the 8 remaining pharmaceutical drug manufacturing corporations in the opioid litigation," and was seconded. The chair put the question and members approved the motion by show of hands.
A second motion, read immediately afterward, sought authorization for the county administrator to execute the subdivision and release form allowing Beaufort County to join the proposed nationwide settlement with the Sackler family "related to the alleged misconduct related to opioids." Councilman Bartholomew seconded that motion, and the chair declared the motion unanimous by show of hands.
The motions were presented after an executive session convened under South Carolina statutory exemptions for legal advice and pending litigation. The council cited South Carolina Code sections for executive-session discussion: references were made to §30-4-78(2) and §30-4-70(a)(2).
No substantive debate or recorded dissent on the settlement motions is recorded in the transcript; both motions were carried by the council’s votes as announced at the meeting.
The council did not read detailed settlement terms into the public record during the caucus; the motions authorized county officials to execute documents consistent with the terms discussed in executive session. The next public procedural step will be execution of the forms by the county administrator, as authorized by the council.
