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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, June 24, 2002
Contact:
Don
Krupp, Chief Administrative Officer, 360-786-5440
Thurston
County Reaches Settlement in Landfill Lawsuit
OLYMPIA – After extensive negotiations and two years of litigation,
Thurston County officials have reached a settlement in a multi-million dollar
class-action lawsuit over the Thurston County landfill.
The suit was brought by the Vicwood Meridian Partnership and a group of
landfill neighbors over operation of the now-closed landfill.
The trial, in Thurston County Superior Court had been scheduled to
start June 17th and was expected to last seven weeks.
Chief Administrative Officer Don Krupp says the county is pleased to
have put the issue to rest. “This
has been using up the time of several staff in the County Prosecutor’s
office as well as the resources of our outside counsel for more than two
years. The settlement will allow
us to bring those expenditures to a close as well as avoid an expensive trial.
We will also have some financial certainty at a time when we are faced
with major budget challenges due to initiative driven revenue cuts.”
Under the settlement, Thurston County and Skagit Sand and Gravel, which
operated the landfill, will pay the plaintiffs $8.5 million most of which will
be covered by insurance. In
addition, the County and Skagit agreed to assign their rights to policies
issued by a non-participating insurance carrier, Zurich American Insurance.
The County and Skagit also agreed to execute a judgment for $20 million
and the plaintiffs agreed to pursue only Zurich American for $11.5 million.
The settlement will not cause a hike in tipping fees at the waste
transfer station currently in operation at the Hogum Bay Road site.
“That was a key component of the settlement for the county,” says
Krupp. “We wanted to be able to keep the resolution of the suit from
impacting transfer station users. That’s not to say that rates may have to change at some
future date, but any change would not be related to the settlement.”
“We are pleased with the progress we've made with
converting the landfill to a waste recovery facility that employs modern
technology and emphasizes recycling. The settlement is a resolution of the issues
surrounding the former landfill and it is a successful closure for all
parties.”
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