Clallam County commissioners instruct prosecutor to pursue “option A” in opioid litigation after executive session

The Clallam County Board of Commissioners voted to instruct the county prosecutor’s office to pursue “option A” in the county’s opioid litigation effort after a closed executive session held under RCW 42.30.110.

The special meeting convened to go into executive session, which the board said was authorized under RCW 42.30.110 to discuss agency litigation and related legal matters. The session was scheduled for one hour, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; the board returned to open session at 12:30 p.m.

After the executive session ended, a commissioner described a communication from Keller Rohrbach concerning a component of the county’s opioid litigation effort and moved to instruct the prosecutor’s office to pursue “option A” as discussed during the closed session. A second was recorded and the commissioners voted in favor; the motion carried. Commissioner Ozias, who had briefly been disconnected, phoned in and recorded a yes vote.

Attendees named during the meeting included Commissioner Randy Johnson and Commissioner Marco Zayas; Commissioner Ozias participated by phone. County staff identified themselves as Kevin O'Biguel (Health and Human Services), Tom Elkie (county administrator) and Jay Reno (deputy civil attorney, county prosecutor’s office). The transcript shows the board stated it would take no action while in executive session but reserved the right to act after returning to open session.

The meeting record and the commissioners’ statements do not disclose the details of “option A,” which were discussed in executive session. The board’s action was a direction to the county prosecutor’s office; the board stated no further direction was required for the prosecutor to proceed.