Lawsuit against the Town Of Cheektowaga.

[4248]

No matter how it was settled it did cost tax payers.

Town paid for legal services - even if a insurance company paid, tax payers funded that insurance and so on. It should be made public other wise there will always be a shadow on those involved related to accusations made.

[WNYresident]

I asked a board member what the cost is. I'll see if they respond.

[gorja]

I'm sure the 2 attorneys from Phillips Lytle didn't come cheap.

[cheekman]

I asked a board member what the cost is. I'll see if they respond.

Big money with this one the legal fees killed the town then the pay out... the interesting part will be did any employees get fired. or any bosses get demoted? someone should if chris gets a hunk of money..

[Dan Roman]

Big money with this one the legal fees killed the town then the pay out... the interesting part will be did any employees get fired. or any bosses get demoted? someone should if chris gets a hunk of money..

Chris?

[Dan Roman]

A Town of Cheektowaga employee who accused colleagues of on-the-job harassment has dropped her lawsuit and will be transferred to a different department, the town attorney said Tuesday.

Last week in U.S. District Court, a stipulation of discontinuance was filed in the case of Lisa M. Sprada, an employee of the Sewer Maintenance Department, who alleged that male co-workers subjected her to lewd comments and displays of sexual behavior.

Sprada had filed a federal lawsuit last fall, claiming discrimination and retaliation in violation of the Civil Rights Act. She had sought unspecified monetary damages to be determined at trial.

Terms of the settlement are confidential, said James D. Donathen, an attorney who handled the case for the town.

According to a court document, the lawsuit was discontinued, with prejudice and on the merits. “That means she can’t bring it again,” Town Attorney Kevin G. Schenk explained Tuesday.

Further, neither side had to pay the other’s costs or attorney’s fees.

Lindy Korn, Sprada’s attorney, didn’t respond to two phone messages seeking comment. Tuesday, a woman who answered the phone at the law office said there would be no comment.

Sprada previously filed a complaint with the state Division of Human Rights, which ruled against her.
Hired as a clerk typist for the Sewer Maintenance Department in May 2010, Sprada complained that the harassment occurred almost daily after she transferred to a higher-paying job of sewer maintenance worker in August 2011. She was promoted to senior sewer maintenance worker in February 2013.

“She will be placed in a different job outside of the Sewer Department,” Schenk said. “She just didn’t want to go back there.”

A possibility is a lower-paying clerk’s job in the Records Department, he said.

According to payroll records, Sprada’s gross salary last year was $61,858.60, which included almost $7,000 in overtime.

Hired as a clerk typist for the Sewer Maintenance Department in May 2010, Sprada complained that the harassment occurred almost daily after she transferred to a higher-paying job of sewer maintenance worker in August 2011. She was promoted to senior sewer maintenance worker in February 2013.

“She will be placed in a different job outside of the Sewer Department,” Schenk said. “She just didn’t want to go back there.”

A possibility is a lower-paying clerk’s job in the Records Department, he said.

According to payroll records, Sprada’s gross salary last year was $61,858.60, which included almost $7,000 in overtime.

[dtwarren]

It is not confidential and must be disclosed under FOIL: http://docs.dos.ny.gov/coog/ftext/f14737.htm

[WNYresident]

It is our money. Us property owners. So what type of line item is this listed as in our town budget?

[gorja]

Why don't you FOIL it WNYresident? If you look at the link DT posted, the confidentiality can't be upheld

[WNYresident]

I shouldn't have to foil it. Who does the town board represent? The property owners or their self interests? If the situation was handled properly from the start it would not have escalated to the point it did wouldn't you agree?

[WNYresident]

Well if we must...

http://www.tocny.org/Portals/0/Depar...stForm8-11.pdf

Nogods? Your a lawyer and know how to word things.

What would be the best wording to get what this entire fiasco cost us property owners?


----------------------------------------------------------


Title, Subject, or nature of Records?

Date/Year of Records Requested?

General Description of Records Requested?


What was the total cost for the lawsuit involving Lisa Sprada vs the property owners of Cheektowaga.

IE: Legal fees, any lawyer fees, payouts, settlements, counseling of any sort.

Address of Records Requested?

Additional Information (any additional information that will aide the research in locating the record?)

Do you wish to inspect the records?
Do you wish to receive copies of the records?



I see they have a loop hole:

The request has been denied.
Reason for denial.

I can't think of any reason why we should not how much much money was spent on this fiasco.

[gorja]

I shouldn't have to foil it. Who does the town board represent? The property owners or their self interests? If the situation was handled properly from the start it would not have escalated to the point it did wouldn't you agree?

I do agree. But since they're utilizing the word confidential, they're not going to be forthcoming with the info without a FOIL.

[nogods]

Well if we must...

http://www.tocny.org/Portals/0/Depar...stForm8-11.pdf

Nogods? Your a lawyer and know how to word things.

What would be the best wording to get what this entire fiasco cost us property owners?


----------------------------------------------------------


Title, Subject, or nature of Records?

Date/Year of Records Requested?

General Description of Records Requested?


What was the total cost for the lawsuit involving Lisa Sprada vs the property owners of Cheektowaga.

IE: Legal fees, any lawyer fees, payouts, settlements, counseling of any sort.

Address of Records Requested?

Additional Information (any additional information that will aide the research in locating the record?)

Do you wish to inspect the records?
Do you wish to receive copies of the records?



I see they have a loop hole:

The request has been denied.
Reason for denial.

I can't think of any reason why we should not how much much money was spent on this fiasco.

You can't FOIL a conclusion, just the facts. Ask for the settlement agreement and copies of all legal bills. That will tell you all you need to know.
A bill from an attorney is not protected by attorney-client privilege so they can't raise that bs.

[cheekman]

I shouldn't have to foil it. Who does the town board represent? The property owners or their self interests? If the situation was handled properly from the start it would not have escalated to the point it did wouldn't you agree?

res no situation is handled properly by this town in the last 40 years.. the town is noted to escalate problems and then pay high attorney fees over the years. How many lost union arbitration decisions have they lost over their Stupidity (a lack of intelligence,) and cost the taxpayers.

[WNYresident]

You can't FOIL a conclusion, just the facts. Ask for the settlement agreement and copies of all legal bills. That will tell you all you need to know.
A bill from an attorney is not protected by attorney-client privilege so they can't raise that bs.

If you were just going to take a guess how much do this issue cost us property owners?