Common Council - Regular Meeting

Yes, sir. You take these meetings and everybody's going.

Yeah. Okay. Absolutely. It's hard to do something.

Yeah. He had cleared that last I have to check it. I can't Good evening and welcome to the Monday, March 23rd, 2026 meeting of the Martinsville Common Council. The meeting is hereby call to order. At this time, I would like to ask clerk treasur Mr. Merida to lead us in the prayer. So, if you would please stand, pray with us, and then remain standing for our pledge. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this great country that we live in and for this community. We ask that you be with us tonight and lead guide and director in this meeting. That your will would be done. That we would continue to lead this city and this community in the way that you be pleased be with us tonight. Everything that's done and said tonight to be pleasing to you. In your name we ask it. Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United

States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Ben. At this time, would you please call a role? John Badger, present. Susie Lips, Ben Mayan, present. Josh Far present. Ann Miller, present. Jonathan Collier, present. Bill Decker the second. Mayor, we have a quorum. Thank you. Prior to tonight's meeting, you each received copies of the minutes from the Monday, March 9th meeting for review. Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes? Jonathan Collier makes a motion to approve the consideration of the Monday, March 9th, 2026 meeting minutes. Second.

It's been a motion made and seconded to approve the minutes as presented. All in favor say I. I. Oppos? No. Motion carries. You also received prior to tonight's meeting uh copies of the claims review. Are there any questions or comments regarding the claims? and Miller makes a motion to approve the claims. Second. It's been a motion made and seconded to approve the claims as presented. All in favor say I.

Oppose. None. Motion carries. Under new business tonight, Mr. Coffee, you want to explain the settlement? What you have before you tonight in your packet is a uh proposal for a uh settlement concerning uh six other drug companies in which we've had some opioid litigation against. Um our attorneys have recommended that we agree to the settlement. Uh I don't have any details right now as far as what that looks like moneywise. Uh but it's a situation that um if we don't agree to it, we would have to pursue it on our own, which economically obviously we're not in a position to do that. So uh they've recommended we that we agree to the settlements against the six different companies that are listed there in your packet. Uh they're considering this a remnant defendant. So we are uh wrapping up the opioid litigation. Now, if you recall, a lot of the settlements that have been reached, we've received monies over a period of years, but this is one of the last lawsuits that uh is to be settled.

Any questions for Mr. Coffee? Do we just need to make a motion to accept the settlement? Yes. and Miller makes a motion that we accept the national opioid um national opioid settlement settlement, excuse me.

I'll second. It's been a motion made and seconded to approve the opioid remnant dependence settlement presented this evening. All in favor say I. I oppose. No. Motion carries. Are any comments from the council this evening? I'd like to um thank the street department. I think you're here for all the snow removal that you did this winter. I know it was uh it was crazy and it was a bear, but thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And um happy birthday to Mr. Collier here. Thank you. Well, Jonathan, how old are you now?

26, man. Yeah. Learn a lot. Oh my gosh. So, is your birthday today? Yesterday. Yesterday. Well, happy belated birthday. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. 26.

I don't think I can remember back that far. Any other comments from the council? Any comments from in the public this evening? If not, I just I'd like to remind everyone to we haven't had a push on this for a while. This is for our text alerts that you get in case of emergencies with the city. Uh, and Stephen, if you could maybe mention that in the paper. Uh, all they have to do is text Martinsville to 78015. And this is a great way to stay informed of any u oil water notifications, any emergencies. And we are very careful not to put just anything out on these rave notifications. So again, we're going to try to because we've got some lift stations. Was that what it was? Mac,

I just know there's going to be a major line shut down sometime in April that will affect many people. not just a small boil of water be a large boil of water from what I was told today but I don't have the specifics yet but this will be a way that people are going

stay informed about that and as soon as we get closer to it we'll make sure you get the information on that okay also all non-emergency city offices and services will be closed on Friday April the 3 in observance of the Good Friday holiday those who normally have their trash picked up on Friday it will be picked up on Monday April the 6th Additionally, the utility office and the transfer station will be closed on Saturday, April the 4th in observance of the Easter holiday. Rex's regular meeting of the common council will be April 13th.

13th. Thank you, Mac. Uh 7:00 here in the council chambers. We are journ. If you all would please stay till you sign everything. Be much appreciated. How do you love my address?