Marinette County, as one of the plaintiffs in a case against a dozen pharmaceutical corporations, could collect a roughly $2 million opioid settlement over an 18-year period.
In his monthly report last week, County Administrator reminded supervisors that in 2017, the county, along with the Wisconsin Counties Association, entered a statewide lawsuit against seven pharmaceutical firms for their participation in the opioid crisis. Marinette County will get an anticipated total of $1.13 million over an 18-year period, according to him. He said that five additional corporations had settled, which may bring the county another $850,000 if the board votes to join that deal in roughly two months.
According to the administrator, the county is currently gathering information on how the cash may be used. He added that the county agencies that have been and will be entrusted with dealing with the opioid crisis will have a place at the table to determine how the settlement monies will be spent, and that whatever plan the county comes up with will evolve over the next 18 years.
An official from the Health and Human Services Department has been designated to attend discussions about how the cash can be used. Marinette County has already received $237,667.63 in settlement funds by 2022, according to the administrator. He stated that the city of Marinette is also a defendant in the case.
