Clallam County commissioners direct staff and counsel to draft possible settlement offer

Clallam County commissioners met in a special session and unanimously directed county staff and outside counsel to formulate a potential settlement agreement and offer after an executive-session discussion of potential litigation.

The session was held under RCW 42.30.110, the Washington statute permitting executive sessions to discuss litigation. The public record shows the board met in executive session with county legal staff and outside counsel Jeff Kerner and Mara Vinnage. Commissioners Mike French and Mark Abzayas and several county staff members were identified as present.

After returning to the public record, the commissioners moved and seconded a directive asking staff to work with outside counsel to draft a settlement agreement and offer. The motion passed unanimously. Commissioners Mike French and Mark Abzayas voted in favor; no opposing or abstaining votes were recorded on the public record. Meeting minutes indicate the board planned to reconvene for another executive session later in the afternoon and noted an earlier extension of the closed session by 15 minutes while counsel participated.

County staff identified in the record included Rebecca Turner (CFO), Tammy Solinger (HR and risk management), Eleanor Hill (budget coordinator), Brenda Wenzel (HR), Brenda Johnson (county information), and Todd Wilkie (county administrator). Outside counsel Jeff Kerner and Mara Vinnage were announced as joining the closed session.

The public portion of the meeting concluded with the board scheduling another executive session later that afternoon and adjourning the special meeting. The transcript does not specify the subject matter of the potential settlement, the parties involved, or any monetary terms; those details were discussed in closed session and are not included in the public transcript.