The Creek County Board of Commissioners entered into executive session at 1:32pm Monday, August 29 to discuss with attorney Brad Barron details of opioid litigation. Pursuant to state statutes, executive sessions are allowed when discussing confidential communications between a public body and its attorney concerning a pending investigation, claim or action if the public body, with the advice of its attorney, determines that disclosure will seriously impair the ability of the public body to process the claim or conduct a pending investigation, litigation or proceeding in the public interest. No action may be taken in an executive session.
The Board came out of executive session at 2:09 pm.
A motion was then made, which passed unanimously, to participate in the Janssen Pharmaceuticals Settlement. A second motion was made, which passed unanimously, to participate in the Distributor’s Settlement.
Johnson and Johnson which owns Janssen Pharmaceuticals, along with 3 drug distributors (McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation) tentatively agreed earlier this year to a $26 billion settlement in response to lawsuits filed by 3,000 state and local governments around the country. Oklahoma recently settled a lawsuit against those distributors for $250 million. Purdue Pharmaceuticals settled for $270 million with Oklahoma in 2019.
The bulk of the monies received in the settlements is to be used for addiction research and treatment.
When asked by the Sapulpa Times why an outside attorney was hired for this process, BOCC Counsel Andrew Goforth stated that this legal work requires expertise in Multi Jurisdictional Litigation.
In other business, the Board acted on the following matters:
A motion was unanimously passed to add roads with Graceland Ranchettes, Whippoorwill Estates 1 and 2, shown in maps that were presented “to best serve the most people of the county.”
The aforementioned roads will be designated as county highways to be maintained by the County Highway District in which they are located. Goforth said that there were several roads within the plats that were never built out. First Deputy Rick Selsor stated the work needed is minimal. A motion passed unanimously to utilize monies from the County Highway Fund allocated to the County Highway District where the proposed work is to take place.
Matt Sechrest, Mike Dowler, and John Willingham, residents in that area, briefly addressed the Board about the matter. Willingham told the Board there were issues on Slick Road. The Board stated some of the roads mentioned by residents were in the County maintenance system and there are plans to repair them.
A motion was made which passed unanimously to allow Sapulpa Main Street to use the Courthouse parking lot for the Route 66 Blowout.
The Board discussed but took no action on signing a seller’s agreement to sell surplus equipment on Bidadoo Public auction marketplace. Goforth said there are issues with the indemnity clause. The matter will be placed on a future agenda.
The Board stated there was no update on the American Recovery Plan Act 2021 funds allocated to Creek County by the federal government. The Board is awaiting updates on various sewer and water projects. Commissioners passed a motion to approve a project on 8th St. Road in Bristow for wingwall repair and tank car culvert. Estimated cost of this project is $16,770. The board voted to surplus a wheel dolly, a welder, and floor jack for Highway District #2. The equipment is to be junked.
The Board voted to approve a Utility permit request from Oklahoma Natural Gas to lay a natural gas pipeline per County specs crossing Lone Star Road approximately 2.9 miles south and 1.04 miles west of U.S. 75 Alternate and State Highway 117.
The board approved a utility permit request from Oklahoma Natural Gas to lay a gas pipeline per County speeds crossing South 120th West Ave. approximately 3.33 miles north and .86 miles west of State Highway 97 and State Highway 166.
The Board approved a permit request from Cox Communications per county specs to replace damaged overhead coaxial cable to parallel South 80th West Avenue approximately .07 miles southwest of West 61st St. and U.S. Rt. 66.
The BOCC meets every Monday at 9 a.m. at the Collins Building.
