Politics & Government

MI Reporter: Lindell Settles With City For $1 Million

The Mercer Island Reporter is reporting City Hall has finalized a settlement agreement to pay former Deputy City Manager and Attorney Londi Lindell $1 million to withdraw claims for sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and retaliation in the workplace

The  is reporting the City of Mercer Island has finalized a June 3 settlement for $1 million to lay to rest claims in a Federal civil rights case that it sexually harassed, sexually discriminated and retaliated against former Deputy City Manager and Attorney Londi Lindell by firing her in 2008.

In the July 15 story, "Lindell lawsuit ends | Settlement announced", a "joint press release composed by attorneys for both sides" stated that the parties had finalized a preliminary settlement initially reached on June 3 (). The Reporter's story has since been updated.

The account in the Reporter also states that the settlement is not an admission of guilt by the city or staff members and council members named in the lawsuit on the aforementioned claims. The monetary settlement will be paid for by the city's legal insurance, provided by the Washington Cities Insurance Authority.

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Left unresolved by the partial settlement, however, is . The City of Mercer Island was fined $90,560 on June 26 by U.S. District Court Judge James L. Robart for violating the Public Records Act. The city must pay the fine and attorney's fees or appeal within 30 days.

Plaintiff's attorney Scott Blankenship for $178,257.90 in fees which he deemed "reasonable fees expended in pursuing wrongfully withheld public records, litigation Ms. Lindell’s PRA claims, and pursuing her attorney fees." ()

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Unlike the settlement award, the city must pay the fine and attorney's fees from its own coffers. The city was previously fined $13,750 in January for not providing all documents relevant to Lindell's case in the discovery phase before trial. Blankenship's filing requests the motion be considered at a July 29 hearing.

Coincidentally, the settlement announcement comes about a week after "employees of the city of Mercer Island" paid for a two-page ad in the Reporter with several positive testimonials from employees about working for .

"We're not perfect; we have our blemishes; we make mistakes on occasion; but somehow we have managed to attract more than our fair share of quality people," wrote City Finance Director Chip Corder.

Asked about the timing of the advertising, Mercer Island City Councilman Mike Cero said it gave him a negative impression.

"(The ad) caught me off guard," he said "I thought it was odd."


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