Settlement has been reached between Iola City Council and former City Administrator Judy Brigham.
Financial terms will be announced within the next few days, Iola City Attorney Chuck Apt said. They weren’t announced Wednesday “because of multiple attorneys involved” in ongoing settlement talks.
Part of the settlement, Brigham told the Register this morning, involved her reinstatement for the next 17 days. Brigham was 17 days shy of retirement when she was fired by the council in August 2011. She had been with the city nearly 32 years.
Council members cited discrepancies in the city’s 2012 budget planning process as the reason for Brigham’s firing.
Brigham’s reinstatement will allow her to recoup full retirement benefits package from the city and the Kansas Public Employment Retirement System.
The settlement was approved 5-0 by Iola City Council members during a special meeting Wednesday evening. Unable to attend because of schedule conflicts were Steve French, Joel Wicoff and Jim Kilby.
“It’s been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction,” Apt said.
The agreement was contingent upon the council’s vote.
Brigham filed suit against the city and six current or former council members in March. That suit will be dropped.
“This agreement resolves all issues existing between Judy, the city and all other defendants,” Apt said.
Brigham said part of the agreement will involve a meeting with the council, “because nobody else should have to go through what I did.
“My intent is to make sure this doesn’t happen to anybody else,” Brigham said of her firing. “I’m very pleased the city was receptive to this agreement. I know they have issues they need to work on, and I obviously want to move on from this.”
