Lewis County commissioners authorize Onalaska shop phase 2 and approve Centralia landfill settlement after executive session

The Lewis County Board of Commissioners authorized moving forward with a phase 2 proposal for the Onalaska shop property and approved settlement amounts discussed in mediation for the Centralia Landfill following an executive session on litigation and mediation.

The actions followed an executive session called under state law to discuss pending litigation and landfill mediation. A committee member moved to "authorize proceeding with the phase 2 proposal for the Onalaska shop property as discussed in executive session," and the board approved the motion on a 3-0 voice vote. The same committee member then moved to "approve the settlement amounts discussed in relation to the Centralia Landfill mediation," a motion that also passed 3-0.

Chair called for the votes after each motion and recorded the outcome as unanimous. No public testimony or extended discussion followed the executive session motions in open session. The board did not provide additional public detail in the meeting record about the contents of the settlements or the terms of the Onalaska phase 2 authorization beyond the motions themselves.

The board indicated these items were the result of the privileged executive-session discussions; under RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) the commissioners met in closed session to discuss litigation matters and then returned to public session to take formal votes. The county did not disclose litigation specifics during open session.