Who will this money go to?
The City of Ventura announces an $8 million settlement with Southern California Edison Company to resolve wildfire claims resulting from the 2017 Thomas Fire.
The City of Ventura’s $8 million settlement is part of a larger settlement for a group of six public entities, including the 2017 Thomas Fire and 2018 Montecito Debris Flow, but it does not affect the claims of residents, individuals and businesses affected by the fire against Southern California Edison.
Mediator Judge Jay Gandhi (Ret.) presided over several days of in-person mediation sessions held in Los Angeles. Participants in the mediation process include 23 public entities with various claims from the 2017 Thomas Fire, the 2018 Montecito Debris Flows, and the 2018 Woolsey Fire. After multiple days of mediation, Judge Gandhi brokered settlements covering all three of these events.
“The Thomas Fire was devastating for our community on many levels. This settlement will help the City continue to recover so that we can provide the best quality of service and important infrastructure for our community,” said City of Ventura Mayor Matt LaVere.
The City of Ventura is represented by the City Attorney’s Office and by outside counsel, Baron & Budd attorneys Scott Summy, John Fiske, Torri Sherlin and Stephen Johnston, who represent 45 public entities in wildfire settlements statewide.
