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Board approves legal retainer agreements, insurance tenders in three closed‑session matters
Summary
Following closed session, the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors reported three actions: joining a PRISM consortium and approving a retainer addendum in the Wellpath bankruptcy; approving defense and retainer counsel in a minors’ personal‑injury suit; and approving counsel for self‑insurance coverage matters in a separate case.
The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors reported three closed‑session decisions after reconvening on Feb. 11.
On item 10 (Wellpath bankruptcy), Supervisor Grieffer moved and Supervisor Kirk seconded; with Supervisor Brandon absent the board voted 4‑0 to join a consortium of public entities represented by PRISM (an insurance pool) and to approve a retainer‑agreement addendum with Vander Laan Heister Haines LLP (recorded in the transcript as Vander Baden Heister and Haines LLP) to represent the county in the Wellpath chapter 11 bankruptcy matter. The board authorized County Counsel to sign the retainer and addendum.
On item 11 (SFAL and ZF minors v. Tuolumne County, Tuolumne County Superior Court case CV‑66850), Supervisor Holland moved and Supervisor Grieffer seconded; by a 4‑0 vote with Supervisor Brandon absent the board approved County Counsel’s defense in the personal‑injury action arising from an alleged abuse connected to a 2010 juvenile dependency matter, authorized submittal to the county’s insurer for a coverage determination and tender of defense, and approved a retainer agreement with the law firm Porter Scott to represent the county.
On item 12 (Cynthia Casper et al. v. Tuolumne County, case CV‑66165), Supervisor Holland moved and Supervisor Grieffer seconded; by a 4‑0 vote with Supervisor Brandon absent the board approved a retainer agreement with Alan Swerdlow and the law firm Lewis, Burbank, Bisgard and Smith to represent the county in matters relating to self‑insurance coverage.
The board’s report‑out indicated votes were 4‑0 on each item with Supervisor Brandon absent. County counsel and staff said the county will proceed with the retainer agreements and insurance coverage processes described in closed session.
Ending: These actions are procedural legal steps to secure outside counsel and insurance coverage determinations; the board reported the results consistent with Government Code closed‑session rules.
