Commissioners also agreed to require permits for non-potable wells.

Kalamazoo County has taken a step toward suing the makers of opioid drugs, but it has not made a final decision about whether to join a lawsuit against those companies.

Commissioners have been weighing whether to sign onto a large multi-party case against opioid manufacturers. On Tuesday the Board agreed to hear proposals from lawyers who would help the county with a case. But commissioners still have to vote on whether to join a wider lawsuit.

The Board’s Democrats have signaled their support, including Chair Stephanie Moore. She says she recently went to a funeral for a woman who died of a drug overdose.

“She had heart problems, had surgery, got addicted to opioids, ended up escalating to drug abuse,” she said on Tuesday.

Republican commissioners appear to lean in the other direction.

“The patient has to be more responsible, and I don’t know how we from this position is going to correct that,” Vice Chair Dale Shugars said.

Some Board members have expressed concern about offending Pfizer Inc., a major employer in Portage by suing opioid makers. But supporters of joining the lawsuit say Pfizer is not a target as it largely does not make opioids.

Health officials say Kalamazoo County has seen a sharp rise in opioid overdose deaths in recent years.

Other County News

If you’re drilling a well in Kalamazoo County you now need a permit, even if the well is not for drinking water. That’s under a change to the sanitary code that commissioners approved yesterday.

Health officials say wells can cause contamination if they’re not properly installed. They say requiring permits for even low-volume, non-potable wells will help protect the groundwater. Non-drinking water wells are used in industry and for irrigation.