The City of Glasgow is now part of a class action lawsuit. Along with other cities in the Commonwealth, Grabhorn law firm will represent Glasgow in a suit that has cities going after a share of the opioid settlement money.
$460 million is the amount the Big Pharmaceutical companies will have to pay the Commonwealth as part of a settlement agreement reached with opioid manufacturers. The money paid out will go toward costs incurred from the opioid epidemic that has swept the commonwealth. The state legislature passed a Memorandum of Understanding this past session in regard to the funds, splitting it in half with the counties. The cities have an issue with this, pointing to the original intent of the settlement that included the wording “cities and counties”.
Council member Patrick Gaunce asked City Attorney Danny Basil exactly who the city would be suing and if they were suing the counties for the money:
WCLU News asked Basil if the amount allocated for Glasgow could impact the amount going to Barren County:
Basil said that Barren County would get .792% of the $240 million dollars, or about $1.98million. While the cities may not technically be suing the counties directly for the money, they will be getting a portion of their money and Grabhorn law firm will take 30% of that. The money will be paid out over the next 18 years.
No additional fiber franchises will be allowed in the City of Glasgow for the foreseeable future. With SCRTC, EPB and Windstream, the city is in good shape, but there may be issues with internet service in the county according to Mayor Harold Armstrong. Armstrong said he tried to have the company go to the county for a franchise, but was unsuccessful and now the council will just have to vote:
The council voted to amend the city’s budget for the upcoming year. Changes in the budget include moving just under $1.5million in unappropriated dollars to the Administrative Account for Grants and Subsidies. Just over $100,000 was moved from the Sanitation/Landfill Account to the Landfill Fund for “equipment and supplies”.
The meeting scheduled for August 9 has been cancelled. The next Council meeting will be the regular scheduled meeting on Monday, August 23, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
