Bel Air approves participation in opioid settlements with seven manufacturers

The Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners on Sept. 15 approved Resolution 12‑58‑25 authorizing the town administrator, special counsel and staff to execute opioid litigation settlements with seven manufacturers identified in the settlement plan.

Town staff said the most recent round of proposed settlements involves primarily generic opioid manufacturers and that, if all states participate, the manufacturers would pay about $645 million over 10 years. Staff estimated Maryland’s potential total share for the seven settlements — to be divided among the state and its political subdivisions — at approximately $12 million. Special counsel recommended Bel Air participate in the settlements in their entirety, and the board voted unanimously to authorize participation.

Town Clerk Michael Krantz reviewed background material, noting the town previously authorized retention of special counsel via Resolution 11‑13‑18 on July 16, 2018, to pursue opioid litigation. During the Sept. 15 meeting, special counsel’s recommendation and staff counsel were read into the record and the board adopted the resolution without amendment.

Commissioner Rutledge characterized the vote as a moral step forward for the town, saying the settlement is “a small step forward in a long ... opioid addiction” and that holding manufacturers accountable is important even if the town’s individual share is modest. No members of the public spoke on the resolution during the public comment period.

Next steps: with the board’s authorization, the town administrator and special counsel are empowered to execute settlement documents and accept the town’s share as negotiated under the statewide settlement framework. The meeting record does not specify how Bel Air’s share will be allocated within the town’s budget; staff did not identify a spending plan during the meeting.