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Des Moines County authorizes participation in additional opioid settlement agreements
Summary
County attorney told the board the county should join settlements with newly resolved defendants in national opioid litigation; the board approved participation and authorized signatures, with allocations following prior formulas (60% state, 40% local).
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 27 authorized county participation in settlement agreements with additional defendants in national opioid litigation and gave the county attorney authority to sign participating documents by the end of the month.
The county attorney explained the new settlements are similar to prior agreements and that Purdue/Sackler matters required separate handling while they were in bankruptcy. He said the allocation formula for the newly settled defendants would be "very, very similar" to prior distributions: roughly 60% to the state and 40% to local governments, with an internal formula determining each county's share.
The board approved the participation and authorized the county attorney to execute the necessary participation agreements so the county can receive its share of settlement funds once disbursements commence. The county attorney said the same allocation method used for prior settlements will apply and that the county's share will be computed under the established formula.
What this means: The county will be eligible for a share of settlement funds from additional resolved defendants; the board's approval authorizes administrative action, not an appropriation of funds to programs. Staff said allocations and programmatic distribution would follow the same patterns used in earlier opioid settlement participation.
