Charleston City Council members agreed Monday to settle a 2003 lawsuit filed by former City Collector Jim Jones, who alleged that former Mayor Jay Goldman wrongfully fired him in 2001.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Charleston City Council members agreed Monday to settle a 2003 lawsuit filed by former City Collector Jim Jones, who alleged that former Mayor Jay Goldman wrongfully fired him in 2001.
Also Monday, council members introduced the first group of bills to enact parts of the city's home-rule plan and approved several large contracts.
Under the settlement, Jones will receive $50,000 and give up all claims against the city, City Manager David Molgaard told members of the council's Finance Committee earlier Monday evening.
Although Jones was a department head, an at-will employee who could be let go at any time, he alleged in his lawsuit that Goldman fired him because of his attempts to collect back taxes from City National Bank, Molgaard said. Goldman was a member of the bank's board of directors.
"As you'll recall, the city received a sizable settlement from the bank," Molgaard said.
"We vigorously defended this. There was a trial in Judge Walker's court. It was a hung jury."
City officials weighed the potential costs of a second trial and decided it made more sense to settle the case, Molgaard said. "We were going to spend $50,000, one way or another. This brings closure. We are not admitting liability. I don't feel it's a win for the plaintiff."
In other business Monday, council members approved a $1.25 million contract with West Virginia Paving for the city's annual street-paving program and a $722,385 contract with D.C. Byers to repair three city parking garages - No. 3 on Reynolds Street (Greyhound Bus Terminal), No. 4 at Quarrier Street and Civic Center Drive, and No. 6 at 166 Summers St.
The ad hoc Home Rule Committee introduced bills that would:
Allow the city manager to publish the names of delinquent Business & Occupation Tax and city fee accounts, including the type of debt, year or years owed and total amount owed. Allow the city to enter contracts with other jurisdictions through resolution by the council. Let the city lease or convey city property at nonprofit agencies at less than market value under certain circumstances. Allow the city to sell real or personal property of less than $1,000 in value without holding a public auction, with certain restrictions.
These items are the first group of about 10 possible changes the city might pursue under the pilot five-year program approved by a state panel earlier this year, said Councilman Dave Higgins, the committee chairman. The committee chose these to tackle first because they were the easiest to draft, he said.
The committee will take up more complicated issues, such as possible changes to B&O tax classes and rates, at a later date, he said.
Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 348-5102.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Charleston City Council members agreed Monday to settle a 2003 lawsuit filed by former City Collector Jim Jones, who alleged that former Mayor Jay Goldman wrongfully fired him in 2001.
Also Monday, council members introduced the first group of bills to enact parts of the city's home-rule plan and approved several large contracts.
Under the settlement, Jones will receive $50,000 and give up all claims against the city, City Manager David Molgaard told members of the council's Finance Committee earlier Monday evening.
Although Jones was a department head, an at-will employee who could be let go at any time, he alleged in his lawsuit that Goldman fired him because of his attempts to collect back taxes from City National Bank, Molgaard said. Goldman was a member of the bank's board of directors.
"As you'll recall, the city received a sizable settlement from the bank," Molgaard said.
"We vigorously defended this. There was a trial in Judge Walker's court. It was a hung jury."
City officials weighed the potential costs of a second trial and decided it made more sense to settle the case, Molgaard said. "We were going to spend $50,000, one way or another. This brings closure. We are not admitting liability. I don't feel it's a win for the plaintiff."
In other business Monday, council members approved a $1.25 million contract with West Virginia Paving for the city's annual street-paving program and a $722,385 contract with D.C. Byers to repair three city parking garages - No. 3 on Reynolds Street (Greyhound Bus Terminal), No. 4 at Quarrier Street and Civic Center Drive, and No. 6 at 166 Summers St.
The ad hoc Home Rule Committee introduced bills that would:
Allow the city manager to publish the names of delinquent Business & Occupation Tax and city fee accounts, including the type of debt, year or years owed and total amount owed. Allow the city to enter contracts with other jurisdictions through resolution by the council. Let the city lease or convey city property at nonprofit agencies at less than market value under certain circumstances. Allow the city to sell real or personal property of less than $1,000 in value without holding a public auction, with certain restrictions. These items are the first group of about 10 possible changes the city might pursue under the pilot five-year program approved by a state panel earlier this year, said Councilman Dave Higgins, the committee chairman. The committee chose these to tackle first because they were the easiest to draft, he said.
The committee will take up more complicated issues, such as possible changes to B&O tax classes and rates, at a later date, he said.
Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 348-5102.
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