Costa Mesa City Council schedules closed session to discuss potential and existing litigation

The Costa Mesa City Council recessed to a closed session on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, to meet with legal counsel about potential litigation and two pending lawsuits, the clerk announced.

The clerk read four closed-session items under the Brown Act, including Item 1, conference with legal counsel regarding potential litigation under California Government Code section 54956.9(d), and Items 2 and 3, conference with legal counsel on existing litigation under the same statute. The two cases named on the agenda were Coats v. City of Costa Mesa (United States District Court, Central District of California) and Jeannie O'Keefe v. City of Costa Mesa (Orange County Superior Court). The clerk's reading of those items was recorded in the meeting transcript.

Mayor and clerk remarks show no public comment was taken before the recess; the clerk reported that council members Marr, Pettis and Reynolds were absent. After the items were read, the council recessed to the community room for the closed-session meeting. The publicly posted agenda items were limited to consultation with legal counsel; the transcript contains no record of any decision, vote or substantive outcome from the closed session.

Because the session was closed to the public under Government Code section 54956.9, the transcript supplies only the agenda titles and procedural steps. The transcript does not record any motions, votes or the substance of legal advice provided in the closed session.