Columbus city employee claims federal rights violations. Council OKs $95,000 settlement
A city employee will receive $95,000 to settle claims against Municipal Court Clerk Reginald Thompson and the Columbus Consolidated Government.
Columbus Council unanimously approved the settlement during its Oct. 22 meeting. At the end of the four-hour meeting, the council emerged at 10:27 p.m. from a 39-minute closed session to discuss matters of personnel, litigation and real estate, as requested by City Attorney Clifton Fay.
The council didn’t publicly discuss the matter, and the specifics of the settlement weren’t mentioned before the vote. But a copy of the resolution the Ledger-Enquirer obtained from the Clerk of Columbus Council office shows Alicia Wells-Lewis, an employee of the court, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging Thompson and CCG violated her federal rights.
The specific alleged rights violations weren’t shared in the resolution. The Ledger-Enquirer has requested that information from the city attorney’s office and the EEOC’s regional office in Atlanta.
Thompson wasn’t available for comment over the phone Monday morning.
His lawyer, David Helmick of the Columbus firm Waldrep, Mullin & Callahan, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email Monday afternoon, “Clerk Thompson is aware that a former employee filed an EEOC complaint involving the Municipal Court Clerk’s Office. We have consistently denied any wrongdoing in the matter, but are pleased that it is concluding and that all are now moving forward. Clerk Thompson and the Clerk’s Office remain committed to delivering excellent services to the Muscogee County community and to all that engage with the Municipal Court system.”
This is a developing story and will be updated with more information when it becomes available.
This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 10:11 AM.
