Judge orders Port of Olympia, Washington, to pay US$56,000 to activists who sued for records on a log export agreement with Weyerhaeuser

Wendy Lisney

LOS ANGELES , November 23, 2009 (Fores) – A judge has ruled that the Port of Olympia in Washington must pay legal fees and costs of around US$56,000 to activists who sued for records related to a contractual agreement to bring Weyerhaeuser's log export business to the port, The Olympian reported on Nov. 21.

Thurston County Judge Richard Hicks awarded the $56,252.57 to Eve Johnson and Walt Jorgensen on Friday.

The decision arises from two 2006 lawsuits requesting records on the port’s agreement with Weyerhaeuser to move its log export business from Tacoma to the port’s marine terminal from Tacoma.

One of the lawsuits was filed by activist Arthur West; the other by the League of Women Voters and Jorgensen. Port attorney Carolyn Lake said the two lawsuits were later consolidated, adding that the League of Women Voters is no longer an official party in the suit.

Port Executive Director Ed Galligan said the port would adhere to the court’s decision, but noted that the port no longer holds any back records. “Our position is to release everything,” he said, adding: “I’ll be glad when all of this is behind us.”

Hicks also ordered West to pay $820 to Johnson and Jorgensen and their attorney, former Supreme Court justice Phil Talmadge, but denied a request for additional fees of about about $120,000 that Talmadge also had sought.

The primary source of this article is The Olympian, Olympia, Washington, on Nov. 21, 2009.

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