Wayne County approves expanded legal contract and enters closed session on hazardous-waste litigation

Wayne County commissioners approved Amendment 1 to a two-year legal services agreement with the Zosmer Law Firm on Jan. 15 to continue legal consultation and representation in matters involving hazardous-waste activity. Commissioners subsequently voted to move into a closed session to discuss pending litigation.

Deputy Corporation Counsel Suhumu said the county initially engaged Zosmer to advise on safeguards and possible actions related to hazardous-waste incidents in the county. The county intervened in litigation against the operator identified in the record as WDI (referred to in the meeting as Wayne Disposal); the intervention joined a complaint filed collectively by several local governments.

Suhumu identified other plaintiffs in the litigation as Van Buren Township, Romulus, Canton Township and the City of Belleville. He said Brandon Grisco and Joseph Brown are serving as lead counsel for the other municipalities. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 20, and Suhumu said the county’s contracted legal work expanded after the county intervened in the pending litigation.

When a commissioner asked how much the county has spent so far on the matter, Suhumu gave an approximate figure; the transcript records his statement as an estimate. Commissioners then voted to go into a closed session for discussion of pending litigation that could be harmed by public disclosure. The motion to enter closed session passed on a roll-call vote. After the closed session, commissioners voted to approve the amendment to the legal-services agreement; the motion carried.

No settlement amounts or detailed billing records were discussed in open session. County attorneys indicated ongoing litigation and scheduled hearings as reasons for staff to discuss strategy in closed session.