VIDALIA — A group of attorneys wants Concordia Parish and the State of Louisiana to join in litigation over the ongoing opioid crisis that is gripping the nation.

Four attorneys led by John Young of Jefferson Parish asked the Concordia Police Jury at Monday night’s meeting to join ongoing litigation filed in Ohio. Other parishes, including Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Jackson, Webster and Union have already retained the attorneys to represent their interests, Young said in making the proposal.

“They are focusing on just the parish governments to get them involved,” said Sandi Burley, jury secretary and treasurer. “Think back to when the big tobacco companies were getting sued. What happened with those, the state got the money when the companies settled. The local boards of governments got nothing. If we join this lawsuit, the way it is set up, the money goes to the local governments to set up crisis clinics and things like that, especially since there is a state of emergency going on.”

Burley used the example of if someone from Concordia Parish were to go to the emergency room due to an opioid related incident and have to go to rehab because of the situation, instead paying for the normal $100 for a Coroner Emergency Certificate to get a person into rehab, joining the litigation would put the cost at zero. In the first quarter, Concordia Parish has already spent more than $3,000 on CECs.

Although the jury is considering Young and his fellow attorneys’ proposal, they also are considering another similar proposal they heard back in April. However, the difference between the two proposals is the group led by Young’s contract is already approved by Louisiana’s attorney general.

“They are the first group to propose us an already state attorney general-approved contract,” Burley said.

If the jury decides to go with Young’s proposal, it would not cost Concordia Parish a penny, Young told the jury. Young said his group would get paid a percentage of the money they would possibly win in the litigation.

The jurors took the matter under review and said they would announce their decision during the next meeting, which will be July 23.

“The biggest risk is not doing anything,” Young said. “We want to make Concordia Parish whole again, recover the cost it has already loss. We want to reduce the opioid crisis situation in this parish. These are our goals, and I believe we can make it happen.”

In other matters at Monday’s Concordia Police Jury meeting:

* The jury unanimously approved cleanup of an overgrown drainage canal between Delta Charter School and the school’s ball fields. Trees have grown within the canal, which will be cleared.

* The jury tabled consideration of the appointment of James June to the Lake Concordia Advisory Board, because they still need one more applicant to activate the board, as there are only four people interested in serving on the board, which needs five to be activated.

* The jury heard a report on the ongoing Brushy Bayou project. Burley said the scope of work has changed for the project, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA have required more reviews of the project’s plans.

* The jury unanimously approved the occupational license and alcohol permits to Wood and Metal Shop, which is a new business located at 4460 Louisiana 84 West in Vidalia.