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Walton County commissioners approve stipulated settlement after executive session
Summary
At a Feb. 6 special meeting the Walton County Board of County Commissioners met in executive session under Florida law and voted to enter a stipulated settlement and approve entry of final judgment in litigation discussed during that closed session.
The Walton County Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 6 voted to enter into a stipulated settlement and approve entry of a final judgment after an executive session held under section 286.011(8) of the Florida Statutes.
Acting County Attorney Clay Atkinson told the board at the start of the meeting that he would request an executive session so he, as the countys attorney of record, could seek the commissions legal advice in pending litigation. He identified Peace of Paradise LLC v. Walton County (Case No. 21CA196) and later referenced Marvin Peavey (Bridal in Park Properties, GA LLC) v. Walton County (Case No. 21CA438) when making similar remarks to open closed sessions. Atkinson read the statutory basis and said the sessions would be recorded by a court reporter and the transcript filed with the county clerk.
After reconvening in public, Atkinson asked the board to "enter into the stipulated settlement and approve the entry of the final judgment with the language adjustments that were made by council during executive session." A motion and second were made, commissioners voted in favor and the chair declared the motion passed.
The actions taken followed the boards recess into executive session earlier in the meeting. Atkinson said the sessions were requested so the county attorney could "receive the county commission's advice regarding the strategy to be used in this case and the type of expenses to be incurred." He also listed outside and in-house counsel who attended the closed session and said a court reporter would record it and the transcript would be filed at the conclusion of litigation.
The board did not provide further public detail about the settlement terms during the meeting, beyond Atkinsons statement that council made language adjustments in executive session and asked the commission to approve the resulting paperwork.
Notes: The request to adjourn to executive session and the subsequent public vote to approve the stipulated settlement were both recorded on the meeting transcript. The board stated the executive session record would be filed with the county clerk and become public at the conclusion of the litigation.
