Staff Report
A former Crestwood employee received $37,500 under the terms of a settlement agreement approved by the Board of Alder-men in connection with a discrimination charge filed against the city.
The former employee, Sandra Grave´, had filed a discrimination charge against the city with the Equal Employment Oppor-tunity Commission. Grave´ had been em-ployed by the city more than 30 years as an administrative secretary and an executive secretary.
A lawsuit was not filed in the matter that was settled through mediation in which an EEOC representative served as the mediator, according to minutes of a Sept. 14 closed session of the Board of Aldermen.
Under the terms of a settlement agreement approved during a Sept. 28 closed session of the Board of Aldermen, Grave´ received $37,500 and the legal firm representing her, David C. Howard & Asso-ciates, received $25,000. The payments were covered by the city’s insurance, according to the closed-session minutes.
During the Sept. 28 closed session, Ward 3 Alderman Don Maddox’s motion to approve the settlement agreement, seconded by Ward 4 Alderman Pat Duwe, was unanimously approved.
Under the agreement, Grave´ released all current and former city officials and em-ployees “from any and all demands, claims, suits and causes of action, of any kind and nature whatsoever, that Grave´ may have or claim to have by reason of her employment with Crestwood and her separation from employment with Crestwood.”
The settlement agreement further states, “This agreement constitutes, in part, a compromise of disputed claims on the part of Grave´ and Crestwood. However, the agreement shall not be construed as an admission by Crestwood of any wrongdoing or liability.”
Because Grave´ agreed to settle the matter and withdraw her charge filed with the EEOC, the complaint is not a public record under federal law.