Orange County Supervisors disclose closed-session settlements totaling $8.7 million; some approvals subject to final sign-off

The Orange County Board of Supervisors announced on the record that it approved several settlement actions during a closed session on March 11, 2025, including unanimous approvals of mediator proposals totaling $8.7 million though some agreements remain subject to final approvals.

An unidentified speaker, reading the closed-session report, said the board "unanimously approved a $2,000,000 mediator's proposal to settle this claim" brought by William Nichols and "unanimously approved a proposed $700,000 settlement in the matter of Barbara Nicholson v. County of Orange." The same speaker reported the board "unanimously approved a $6,000,000 mediator's global settlement proposal to settle the matter of Robert Santoyo et al. v. Doe 1 in the County of Orange." The speaker also said copies of finalized settlement agreements would be made available through the Office of County Counsel.

The transcript shows the board took no reportable action on several listed items (SCS 1, SCS 2, SCS 4, SCS 6 and SCS 7). For SCS 4 the speaker stated, "This case will go to trial." For SCS 3 the board considered claims arising from a "September 20 24 airport fire"; with respect to claims by the Robeson family the board "unanimously authorized and directed outside counsel to reject a mediator's proposal" and "unanimously delegated limited settlement authority to risk management and outside counsel Meyers Naube to resolve and settle this family's claims."

In the matter of RS v. County of Orange, the board "unanimously delegated limited settlement authority to risk management and outside counsel," the speaker reported; the transcript notes the plaintiff is now 62 and alleges repeated abuse by a foster parent in the 1970s. In the Santoyo matter the transcript similarly records allegations that two siblings were abused by a foster parent in the 1970s and states the abuser was later convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct on a child.

The meeting report described the Nicholson settlement as "proposed" and said the agreement "remains subject to the final approval of others." The board also indicated it had authorized its outside counsel and risk management to exercise limited settlement authority in multiple matters.

The speaker concluded that beyond the listed items the board took no other reportable action. Another unidentified speaker closed the meeting and announced the board's next scheduled meeting for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.

The board's statements here are summaries read into the public record after a closed session; the transcript does not include debate or items such as mover/second or roll-call vote tallies. Copies of finalized settlement agreements were reported as available through the Office of County Counsel.