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Orange County supervisors announce two executive appointments and approve multi-million-dollar settlements
Summary
In a closed session, the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed Michelle Geary as county executive officer and Sarah Nakata as public defender, and approved several settlements including a $70,000 trip-and-fall payout and two global settlements tied to a September 2024 airport fire, all subject to final approvals.
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — The Orange County Board of Supervisors announced personnel changes and approved multiple legal settlements during a closed session that concluded June 24, 2025.
An unidentified board speaker said the supervisors unanimously appointed interim CEO Michelle Geary to the position of county executive officer and directed that an employment agreement for the county executive officer be placed on the board agenda for June 24, 2025. "Congratulations, Michelle," the speaker added.
The board also unanimously appointed Chief Deputy Public Defender Sarah Nakata to serve as public defender effective July 12, 2025, following the announced retirement of Public Defender Martin Schwarz. The board directed that an employment agreement for the public defender be placed on the June 24, 2025 agenda. "Congratulations, Sarah," the same speaker said.
In liability matters, the board unanimously approved a proposed $70,000 settlement in the matter of Kimberly Jones v. County of Orange. According to the announcement, Jones stepped into an unmarked sidewalk planter hole on a county-maintained sidewalk in San Juan Capistrano and suffered injuries to her shin, knee, right hand, shoulder, hips and back. The settlement was described as subject to final approval by others; finalized agreements will be made available through the office of CEO risk management to anyone who inquires.
The board also approved two global settlements related to claims from a September 2024 airport fire. One global settlement was reported at $3,350,000 for claimants identified by the board, and a separate global settlement was reported at $3,800,000 for a different set of claimants. Those settlements likewise were described as subject to final approval, with finalized agreements to be available through CEO risk management.
An unidentified board speaker said the board took no other reportable action in closed session that day. The meeting was adjourned; the next board meeting was announced for Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
The matters reported from closed session include personnel decisions and settlements that remain subject to final approvals; documents and finalized settlement agreements will be available from the county's CEO risk management office after those approvals are completed.
