by Trish Rudder
Town Recorder Susan Webster confirmed last week that the Town of Bath has received $4,642 from the opioid lawsuit settlement that held pharmacies and drug distributors accountable for their role in West Virginia’s opioid crisis.
Webster said in an email that the funds have been placed in the town’s Public Safety division. She said she did not have an exact use for the funds, but she noted “its use is restricted.”
The West Virginia First Foundation was formed to manage the settlement funds that are to be used to reduce the effects of opioid addiction.
Local governments like the Town of Bath received a direct payment from the settlement under a formula negotiated as part of the mass litigation. The town will receive other payments over the life of the settlement, but lawsuit attorneys have said the first check will be the largest.
