Pontiac City Council authorizes settlements in two pending suits after closed session

After a closed session on Oct. 7, the Pontiac City Council authorized the city’s attorneys to make settlement offers in two pending lawsuits, the council announced at the meeting.

The council voted to authorize a $20,000 settlement offer in City of Pontiac v. PLTC 3 Realty Investment LLC (Oakland County Circuit Court case 2024-211268-CC). The resolution, moved by Councilman Rutherford and seconded by Pro Tem Carrington, passed by roll call with all voting in favor. Council members said the case concerned extra land and easement compensation related to the Bagley Street reconstruction project and that the $20,000 offer would resolve continuing legal costs.

The council also voted to authorize the city’s legal counsel to settle Washington v. City of Pontiac, et al (case number 25-215020-CZ), “in accordance with the recommendations made in closed session,” the motion said. That resolution was moved by Pro Tem Carrington and seconded by Councilwoman Jones and was adopted by roll call; the council recorded seven yays and no nays on adoption of the resolution to authorize counsel to proceed.

Both resolutions were presented after the council recessed into closed session to receive privileged legal advice. The council cited statutory authority in the Open Meetings Act to discuss written legal opinions and to consider trial or settlement strategy in the two named cases.

No additional settlement amounts or confidential terms were disclosed at the meeting. City officials said the authorized steps were intended to end litigation-related costs and allow city projects to proceed without further delay.

The council announced the actions publicly at the close of its closed session and adopted the resolutions by roll call vote.