The Wednesday morning meeting, most of which was held in closed session, resulted in a 4-0 open session vote – with Councilman Chuck Leonard absent – to approve a $50,000 settlement agreement with Grant and Marilyn Meyer, according to City Clerk Melissa Swanson.
The vote authorized Mayor Judy Thein to sign the agreement, Swanson said.
The Meyers’ lawsuit began in response to the city’s code enforcement action against them.
City officials said that a code enforcement officer had allegedly entered the Meyers’ property without a search warrant and took pictures.
The terms of the settlement call for the property to be cleaned up to the city’s satisfaction. The city is allowed to withhold $10,000 of the settlement amount until the cleanup is complete.
The council had been urged by its legal counsel to settle the case because pursuing it further likely would end up in higher costs, as Lake County News has reported.
Local attorney Robert Riggs had offered assistance in reviewing the settlement but didn’t get the chance to do so, and was informed by Vice Mayor Joyce Overton that the city would only pay about $1,300 in cash, with the rest coming from insurance.
The other closed session item on the agenda involved discussion of an interim city administrator appointment. Swanson said there was no reportable action from that discussion.
On Nov. 4 Dale Neiman resigned from the city administrator job following three years with the city, citing his unwillingness to work with council members-elect Joey Luiz and Jeri Spittler, as Lake County News has reported.
At its Nov. 12 meeting, the council appointed Police Chief Allan McClain to also hold the city administrator position on an interim basis, for no additional pay.
McClain is set to retire effective Dec. 30, an announcement also made Nov. 4.
Luiz and Spittler will be sworn in at the council’s first meeting in December.
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