Agenda Item Name:
Title
Approve a Resolution authorizing Alachua County to join with the State of Florida and other local governmental units as a participant in the Florida Memorandum of Understanding and Formal Agreements implementing a Unified Plan regarding allocation of the opioid settlement proceeds
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Presenter:
Robert Swain, Deputy County Attorney
Description:
As set out in its letter to the Chair dated April 13, 2021, the Office of the Florida Attorney General has recommended acceptance of a Resolution authorizing Alachua County to join with the State of Florida and other local governmental units as a participant in the Florida Memorandum of Understanding and Formal Agreements that will govern the proposed allocation and use of opioid settlement proceeds. Our outside counsel has been engaged in negotiations with the Attorney General to attempt to increase Alachua County’s share of the settlement despite having a population of less than $300,000. This has been unsuccessful and she now recommends acceptance of the terms of the MOU.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve signing of the Resolution.
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Prior Board Motions:
See Agenda item #21-0641, wherein the BoCC voted to confirm the Purdue bankruptcy plan
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
This settlement will result in some payments to the County over 10 to 15 years plus additional services or funding from Lutheran Services of Florida. All of these are restricted to opioid treatment and mitigation.
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Background:
This is part of a national class action settlement with several of the manufacturers and distributors of opioid drugs. This portion of the settlement is only for Purdue Pharma which is the most advanced in the settlement process. Negotiations with the other defendants may follow the same process.