Putnam County has hired an attorney for a potential lawsuit against drug wholesalers.
Alan Pritt, from Pritt & Spano in Charleston, was hired to represent the county in the proposed lawsuit.
As of last week's proposal, the law firm was not representing any other governmental body in similar lawsuits. Pritt did not respond to an interview request.
In his proposal, Pritt said he was pursuing the case because he wanted to improve the quality of life in Putnam County.
"I want the resolution in this case to have a positive impact on Putnam County well into the future," he said during his proposal. "Quite frankly, I can make my money doing something else. I'm in this so that Putnam County, and my children in Putnam County, can take this and move forward."
Two other attorneys were considered for the position.
There were 50 opioid-related overdoses in Putnam County between 2007 and 2012, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the same time period about 57 oxycodone and hydrocodone dosages were prescribed per person in the county.
In that time, 1,728 West Virginians fatally overdosed on those painkillers.
Putnam's potential lawsuit is one of dozens being pursued against drug wholesalers after Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen, two drug wholesalers that have shipped massive quantities of pain pills to Southern West Virginia, paid $36 million to settle a lawsuit with the state in January.
A Pulitzer Prize-winning Gazette-Mail investigation, "Painkiller Profiteers," found wholesalers poured more than 780 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills into West Virginia over a six year period.
Commissioners also adopted proposed 2018 levy rates during a meeting Tuesday.
Putnam County Schools said the rate will remain the same, except for the bond levy, which will slightly decrease.
Chris Campbell, Putnam County Schools treasurer, told the Gazette-Mail last month that Class II properties will pay $11.38 per for every $100 of assessed value under next year's plan. Putnam homeowners currently pay $12.06 per $100.
County commissioners also accepted a low bid for the a Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority project to replace windows. City Construction Company, based in Clarksburg, submitted a low bid of $34,876.
Reach Ali Schmitz at ali.schmitz@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @SchmitzMedia on Twitter.