Trending
STEUBENVILLE -- The Jefferson County commissioners on Thursday agreed to hire outside legal counsel to pursue a possible lawsuit against the manufacturers of opioid prescription painkillers.
Assistant Prosecutor Frank Bruzzese said he has been meeting with the commissioners for the past several months in executive session to discuss the possible filing of the lawsuit to try to recoup money spent on the opioid epidemic in the county.
Many people addicted to heroin started on opioid pain medication.
The county ranks high in the state for overdose deaths based on 100,000 in population.
The commissioners will petition common pleas court for the appointment of an outside legal counsel to represent the county.
Bruzzese said the county intends to hire attorney Frank Gallucci of Cleveland, who is associated with a consortium of attorneys who investigate, pursue civil litigation and attempt to hold responsible the manufacturers and wholesale distributors and others who market prescription opiates.
Bruzzese said the lawsuit will be filed if evidence shows the manufacturers, pharmacies and physicians wrongfully put excess opioids on the streets of the county.
Commissioner David Maple said pursuing the lawsuit would be a wise choice for the taxpayers because of the financial burden due to the opioid crisis.
"It is an easy recourse when you look at the budgets of the departments who engage in the crisis on a daily basis," he said.
In other business, commissioners signed three contracts between the county Job and Family Services Department and Checker Cab Co. of Steubenville.
Checker Cab provides transportation to doctor and medical appointments for people eligible for Medicaid.
Elizabeth Ferron, job and family services director, said there was an increase in trips amounting to an additional $120,000 for Checker Cab this year.
Checker Cab will receive $1.75 million next year. The cab company also will be paid up to $33,000 for transporting residents who aren't Medicaid eligible to doctor and medical appointments.
Ferron said the county is mandated to provide the transportation service. Federal funds pay for the cost, she noted.
Commissioner Thomas Graham said Checker Cab employees receive special training and have proper equipment in the vehicles.
Ferron and the commissioners discussed a possible change in how the state administers the program next year. She said the state may use a broker to oversee the program, and Commissioner Tom Gentile noted he is concerned the program, as a result, may not be as efficient.
Commissioners agreed to sign a grant application by the county drug task force for funding from the Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund. This is the sixth time the county has applied for the grant, receiving it five times. The money will be used for operational expenses of the drug task force.
Commissioners signed an agreement with DLZ Engineering of Cleveland for right-of-way services for a proposed bridge replacement on county Road 17. Kara Bernhart, county bridge engineer, said $30,462 agreement includes surveying, deed and right-of-way research. She said the project is expected to be bid in the spring.
The engineer's department normally does the work, but it is burdened by the large amount of ongoing bridge projects, she said.