TD Council Consent Agenda Loaded for Monday, Sept. 8

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Sep 7

The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 5, 2025 — The Dalles City Council on Monday will weigh legal and financial steps tied to national litigation over “forever chemicals” in drinking water and opioid settlements that could channel thousands of dollars into local programs.

Council is set to meet on Monday, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m.

At the top of the consent agenda, the council is being asked to authorize a legal services agreement with Stag Liuzza, LLC, a firm representing public water systems in nationwide lawsuits over AFFF, a firefighting foam linked to toxic PFAS chemicals. Under the proposed deal, the firm would cover all testing and legal costs in exchange for one-third of any settlement funds. If The Dalles detects contamination during targeted testing, the city could qualify for compensation from a $13.6 billion settlement reached in 2023 with 3M and DuPont. Any funds would be directed to the city’s Water Fund.

Another law suit involves whether the city opts into new opioid settlements. Councilors will consider participation in a $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma settlement that requires cities to sign on by Sept. 30, as well as an additional $720 million package involving eight pharmaceutical companies with an Oct. 8 deadline. The Dalles has already received $203,746 from seven previous opioid settlements, with another $385,498 expected over the next decade. Future funds must be spent on opioid abatement programs.

The council will also consider accepting a Federal Aviation Administration grant of $355,321 for the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport’s Master Plan project. Combined with a $150,000 state grant, the funding leaves the city and Klickitat County responsible for just $4,000 toward the $509,321 planning contract awarded to Mead & Hunt, Inc. in July.

Public Works is seeking approval to replace its stolen 2013 skid-steer loader with a new 2026 CAT 275 model equipped with safety features like PIN-controlled ignition and GPS tracking. Insurance will cover nearly $50,000 of the $120,932 price tag, leaving the city to pay about $71,648.