Ohio County Joins Opioid Settlement Agreement | News, Sports, Jobs

WHEELING — Ohio County commissioners this week joined a memorandum of understanding with other local governments that seeks to equitably distribute between them any future opioid settlement funds coming to state and local governments.

Ohio County was the last county in West Virginia to join the memorandum, said Solicitor Donald Tennant.

“The memorandum of understanding has been proposed to all the governments that are being represented in the opioid litigation against the pharmaceutical supply chain defendants,” he said.

Tennant noted the litigation, formed on a national level, has been revised to apply to West Virginia and local governments being represented by the Fitzsimmons law firm and other firms in the state.

“It is essentially a government document that all of the various governments are signing,” Tennant said. “I understand that all of them have signed except Ohio County. It essentially gives the governments an understanding of how the settlement proceeds allocated to the governments are to be utilized.”

Tennant said the MOA “makes sense” and is “litigation to seek remediation from the opioid crisis.” Tennant recommended the commission sign the understanding.

“Unlike some other monies that have come from the federal government where there have been virtually no rules … this at least gives a guiding document on how to utilize the money if in fact it comes,” he said.

The commission also approved designating commission President Randy Wharton as the county’s authorized person to sign documents related to the suit.

According to previous reports, future settlement money would be divided with 24.5% going to cities and counties, 3% to the West Virginia Attorney General’s office and 72.5% to the AG’s Opioid Foundation.

Ohio County will be permitted to use the funds to develop programs for substance abuse prevention, research and education. Law enforcement can also use it to stop the sale and distribution of drugs. It can also be used for treatment and recovery, Tennant said.