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Orange County Board of Supervisors approves two settlement proposals, delegates authority on others
Summary
In closed session the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a $2 million mediator proposal and a proposed $700,000 settlement, and delegated limited settlement authority on additional claims arising from an airport fire and historical foster-care abuse claims.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors, meeting in closed session pursuant to Government Code §§ 54957(b), 54957.6 and 54956.9, unanimously approved a $2,000,000 mediator's proposal to settle a claim by William Nichols and approved a proposed $700,000 settlement in Barbara Nicholson v. County of Orange, while delegating limited settlement authority in other matters.
The board acted on multiple agenda items labeled SCS 1 through SCS 8. For SCS 3 — which included claims arising from the Sept. 20, 2024, airport fire — the board considered claims filed by members of the public. In that item the board unanimously directed outside counsel to reject a mediator's proposal in the Robeson family claims and unanimously delegated limited settlement authority to the county's risk management office and outside counsel Myers Nave to resolve the Robeson family's claims. In the same SCS 3 item the board unanimously approved a $2,000,000 mediator's proposal to settle a separate claim by William Nichols.
In SCS 5, captioned RS v. County of Orange, the board unanimously delegated limited settlement authority to risk management and outside counsel. The transcript records that the plaintiff, now age 62, alleges repeated abuse by a foster parent in the 1970s.
In SCS 8 the board unanimously approved a proposed $700,000 settlement in Barbara Nicholson v. County of Orange. The transcript states the plaintiff alleged harassment by former senior assistant district attorney Gary Legalbo; the board noted the settlement agreement remains subject to final approval by others and that, when finalized, copies will be available through the Office of the CEO, Risk Management.
For SCS 1, SCS 2, SCS 4, SCS 6 and SCS 7 the board took no reportable action. The transcript also includes the statement, “This case will go to trial,” without specifying which matter that remark referred to.
Votes at a glance: the transcript records unanimous board action on the items where outcomes were reported: approval of the $2,000,000 mediator's proposal (William Nichols) and approval of the proposed $700,000 settlement (Barbara Nicholson); the board also unanimously delegated limited settlement authority in the Robeson family matter and in RS v. County of Orange. Several SCS items were recorded as having no reportable action.
The board concluded closed session with no additional reportable action. The meeting adjourned and the clerk announced the next board meeting date as Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
