Costa Mesa City Council recesses to closed session to address workers' compensation claims, litigation and property negotiation

On Feb. 18, 2025, the Costa Mesa City Council recessed into a closed session to consider two workers' compensation claims, potential and existing litigation, and real property negotiations, the City Clerk read into the record.

The council's closed-session agenda, as read by the City Clerk, listed five items: two public employment workers' compensation claims; a conference with legal counsel in anticipation of one potential litigation case; a conference with a real property negotiator regarding property at 695 West 19th Street in Costa Mesa; and an existing litigation matter, identified as City of Costa Mesa v. DLSCO (related to a Wallace Avenue matter) pending in Orange County Superior Court. The clerk identified Lori Anne Farrell Harrison, City Manager, as one of the negotiators named for the property item and also referenced Jan Burry in housing negotiations.

The City Clerk said there were no public commenters in the chambers or on Zoom before the council recessed. The meeting was then recessed to the community room for the closed session; the transcript records no public votes or further substantive discussion in open session.

No motions, votes, findings, settlements or final actions were recorded in the public portion of the transcript. The agenda items were announced under California Government Code references read on the record for closed-session purposes. The transcript does not include further details on the nature of the workers' compensation claims, the subject of the anticipated litigation, the terms sought in the property negotiations, or the status or claims in the existing lawsuit against DLSCO.

The council returned to closed session in the community room; the public portion of the meeting ended with the clerk's announcement and the recess to closed session.