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Wayne County approves amended legal‑services contract and moves to closed session on toxic‑waste litigation
Summary
The committee approved an amendment to a legal services agreement to continue representation in a pending toxic‑waste lawsuit, then met in closed session to discuss the litigation; staff said the county has spent about $35,000 so far and intervened alongside local municipalities.
The Wayne County Government Operations Committee on Jan. 15 approved Amendment 1 to a two‑year legal services agreement with outside counsel to continue consulting and representation in a pending toxic‑waste matter and then went into closed session to discuss pending litigation.
Deputy Corporation Counsel (reported as Suhumu) and Assistant Corporation Counsel Jim Jernigan identified the Zosmer law firm as the outside counsel handling toxic‑waste legal work. Counsel said the county intervened in litigation against a local waste‑disposal operator identified in the meeting as Wayne Disposal, joining other local governments and municipalities including Van Buren Township, the cities of Romulus and Belleville, and Canton Township.
County counsel said the county has paid approximately $35,000 to date for legal work. Brandon Grisco and Joseph Brown, identified in the meeting as lead counsel for the other municipalities, are handling plaintiffs’ filings on behalf of the local governments; the county’s intervention means it is participating with those municipalities in the litigation. Counsel noted a hearing scheduled in February.
Because the item involves pending litigation, counsel asked for and the committee approved a closed session under the exception that public discussion could have an adverse effect on the litigation. Commissioner Clark Coleman moved to go into closed session; Commissioner Alan Wilson seconded; the clerk conducted a roll‑call vote and the committee recessed into closed session. After returning, the committee approved the amendment to continue legal representation. A public summary of the closed session was not provided during the meeting.
A motion to approve the legal‑services amendment was made by Commissioner Clark Coleman, seconded by Commissioner Wilson; the clerk announced the motion carried.
No additional contract amounts or billing schedules were disclosed in open session beyond the approximate total paid to date; counsel and staff said further litigation details would be handled in closed session.
