County eyes suing opioid manufacturers

The Cannon County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution during its quarterly meeting on Jan. 13 to investigate potential litigation to recover funds for the county with respect to the widespread distribution and use of pharmaceutical opioids within and around the county.

The resolution was presented to the commission by local attorney Nathan Nichols, who agreed to serve -- without compensation -- as special counsel for the county to represent its interests during the negotiations with Lieff, Cabraser, Heiman and Bernstein, related to its potential representation of the county.

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP is a seventy-attorney law firm with offices in Nshville, San Francisco, New York and Seattle.

In December, Lieff Cabraser announced that the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioid drugs to recover taxpayer money and resources spent to combat the opioid epidemic wreaking havoc on the Nashville community.

Nichols said the firm is looking to represent other communities in Middle Tennessee to seek damages for costs incurred in combating the negative effects which stem from the widespread distribution and use of pharmaceutical opioids.

Lieff Cabraser also filed a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers on behalf of Smith County in December.

County Commissioner Glenn Steakley will represent the commission as it relates to the investigation of potential litigation, according to the resolution, which also strongly urges the county executive, sheriff, ambulance service director and fire department chiefs to fully cooperate in the investigation.

While an amount has yet to be determined, it is likely Cannon County taxpayers have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years to fight the opioid crisis and deal with its effects on the community.

The county commission would have to approve the filing of a lawsuit, according to the resolution.

In other action at the Jan. 13 meeting the commission:

• Approved a resolution to borrow money to purchase a new ambulance for the Cannon County Ambulance Service. The amount approved was for up to $120,000. The vote was 6-4. Mark Barker, Kristie Nokes, Karen Ashford, Richie Hunter, Adam Melton and Glenn Steakley voted in favor. Russell Reed, Jim Bush, Brent Bush and Greg Mitchell voted no. The budget committee and the commission had previously voted to buy an ambulance. Approval was needed to borrow money for the purchase. The loan will be repaid from the county's Debt Service Fund over a three-year period.

• Approved a resolution to borrow money to pay the Cannon County Rescue Squad $75,000 so that it could repay a loan it obtained for the purchase of a truck. The commission had previously agreed to help pay for the truck. The loan will be repaid out of the Debt Service Fund over a three-year period.

• Briefly discussed but took no action on adding a sales tax referendum to one of the ballots during this year's primary or general elections. Cannon County's current sales tax rate is 2 cents on every dollar spent. The sales tax in all counties which border Cannon except Wilson -- Bedford, Coffee, DeKalb, Rutherford and Warren -- is 3 cents. Wilson's is 2.5 cents.

Money used from any increase in the sales tax would go to schools (50 percent) and the rest to city and county governments. Currently persons making a purchase in Cannon County pay about $10 less in sales tax for every $1,000 they spend than they do in most surrounding counties.

• Approved a budget amendment for Cannon County Schools for a 100 percent grant in the amount of $119,134 for career and technical education equipment for the health sciences program at Cannon County High School.

• Tabled a motion by Commissioner Bush concerning bidding requirements for county services.

• Appointed attorney Nathan Luna to the Cannon County Industrial Development Board.

• Heard a report from court officer Frank Matthews, who has been working on a plan to improve security at the Cannon County Courthouse. According to Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts, the courthouse does not meet minimal safety standards, Matthews said. He said he is investigating the possibility of obtaining grant money to make improvements.