Commissioners agree to join opioid class action lawsuit

Sequoyah County Commissioners voted Monday to join a class action lawsuit against the opioid industry along with CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, Allergan and Teva, at the advice of their attorney, according to Dist. 3 Commissioner Jim Rogers.

Rogers said several other counties plan to do the same but the item was approved to meet the deadline requirements. Rogers said the actual resolution will be drafted by the Sequoyah County District Attorney’s office and will be voted on next week.

The agenda item agrees “to the terms of the global settlements, release of all claims against the entities and the permissible uses of monies received pursuant to the settlements for opioid abatement and designation of an authorized representative to sign the subdivision participation forms to finalize participation in these settlements.”

In other business, the commissioners signed a Proclamation to declare April as Child Abuse Prevention Month at the request of the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.

Cindy Smith, investigator for the sheriff’s office and head of the Victim Crime office, said one in three children experience some type of child abuse.

“It’s not okay for a little boy to hit a little girl and the girl be told ‘he just likes you,’ education must begin early,” Smith said.

Smith shared a story about her youngest client which was a six-week old baby which had been assaulted from the time she was brought home. The baby ended up dying and the dad was sent to the penitentiary and is doing life, she said.

“I just appreciate all the proclamations the commissioners sign because we hunt the monsters no one sees,” she said.

During public comment, Sheila Comer, supervisor for the Sequoyah County 911 office, reminded everyone this week is National Telecommunicators Week. Comer said “if you see a dispatcher out and about, give them a shoutout!”

Comer said in 2022, over 66,000 calls were answered by the 911 office including 16,000 EMS calls, 26,000 law calls and 10,000 fire calls.

Commissioners approved to accept payment from the Cherokee Nation for Law Enforcement Services pertaining to the recent contribution of $20,000 presented to the sheriff’s office through the tribe’s Motor Fuel Tax monies.