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Commissioners authorize adding six remnant defendants to opioid settlement before May 4 deadline
Summary
Jackson County commissioners unanimously authorized Commissioner Drew Markel to electronically sign documents adding six smaller defendants to the county's opioid settlement, a move County Attorney Susan Bevers said must be completed by the May 4, 2026 deadline.
Commissioner Drew Markel and his fellow commissioners voted unanimously April 21 to authorize an electronic signature that will add six remnant defendants to Jackson County’s opioid litigation settlement.
County Attorney Susan Bevers told the board the deadline to include the smaller defendants in the settlement is May 4, 2026, and asked for expedited authorization. "Authorize Markel to electronically sign documents allowing the addition of six smaller defendants to the opioid litigation," the minutes record. Commissioner Drew Storey made the motion, Commissioner Andrew Stauffer seconded it, and the motion carried 3–0.
The authorization was procedural: Bevers sought board approval to meet the external settlement deadline. The minutes do not list the six defendants by name, nor do they state the expected dollar amounts the county would receive from their inclusion. The record shows the board took formal action authorizing the signature but did not discuss settlement amounts or allocation of any incoming funds during the meeting.
Next procedural step: the county will execute the electronic signature before the May 4, 2026 deadline to finalize the addition of the remnant defendants to the settlement.
