Nelson Fiscal Court votes to join lawsuit against opioid distributors
NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, 2 p.m. — Nelson Fiscal Court voted this morning to join 36 other Kentucky counties in a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical distributors of opioids.
The lawsuit aims to recover financial losses the county has experienced because of the exploding opioid abuse crisis.
Magistrate Jerry Hahn prepares for Tuesday morning’s Nelson Fiscal Court meeting.
Nelson County Judge Executive Dean Watts said the abuse of opioids has hit the county hard financially due to the extra work load on first-responders — firefighters, law enforcement, EMS and the Nelson County Jail.
The worst part of the crisis is what it has done to the lives of Nelson County residents and their families, Watts said.
Magistrate Sam Hutchins agreed, adding that he believed the manufacturers also had a share of the blame.
Watts said initially he wasn’t in favor of joining the lawsuit, but changed his mind after watching a “60 Minutes” segment on the opioid addiction crisis and the drug distributors’ role in making the crisis worse.
According to a handout by the Kentucky Association of Counties, each county that participates will have its own lawsuit filed by a group of eight law firms that are representing the counties in this legal action. In exchange for the legal services, the counties agree to pay 30 percent of any financial recovery they receive for attorney fees.
INDUSTRIAL REVENUE BONDS. The court unanimously approved first reading of ordinances related to the issue of industrial revenue bonds to fund separate construction projects for Lux Row and Heaven Hill Distilleries.
The Lux Row agreement allows issuing bonds up to $35 million for the costs of their distillery campus construction projects. The Heaven Hill agreement allows up to $51.9 million in bonds for project construction costs.
The magistrates had approved resolutions in support of the bonds.
WAR MEMORIALS. Watts provided an update to the court on progress creating two new war memorials — one to honor Nelson County residents who died during World War I, and another to honor county residents who died during the Korean War.
The names of those who died during World War I include:
Russel Cahoe
Chester Stewart
Joseph L. Nally
James A. Clayton
William T. Rapier
George B. Allen
The names of those who died during the Korean War include:
Raymond Cecil
Lewis P. Howard
Kenneth A. McAllister
Charles L. Newton
Clarence H. Tingle.
Watts said anyone with additional names for the lists to contact his office, (502) 348-1800.
In other action, the court:
– approved the appointments of Sherrie Frazier and Rachel Briney to the Nelson County Extension District Board;
– approved transferring the Bloomfield Fire Station deed back to the Northeast Nelson Fire Protection District. Watts explained he had failed to have the court approve that after the fire district paid off the building.
– heard the members of Nelson Fiscal Court were all invited to participate in the annual Christmas Parade.
-30-
