CITY OF BRENHAM LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT AMOUNT MUCH LARGER THAN FIRST REPORTED
Update @ 3:55 p.m.: The lawsuit settlement amount paid to a former City of Brenham employee is much larger than first stated – over four times the initial amount.
On Friday, the City of Brenham resolved the case brought against it by Donald Guyton through mediation. The city said in a press release Monday that it agreed to pay $20,000 to bring an end to the case.
However, another press release issued this (Tuesday) afternoon by the McKinney Law Firm in San Antonio, who represented Guyton in the case, stated that the flat amount of the settlement was $90,000. The amount was verified by attorney Christopher McKinney.
When asked to clarify, City Manager James Fisher said the city’s contribution was $20,000, with insurance from the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool paying the remainder. Monday’s press release from the city made no mention of insurance paying a portion of the settlement cost.
Original Story @ 6:52 a.m.: The City of Brenham has settled a lawsuit filed against the city by a former employee.
On Friday, the city resolved the case brought forth by Donald Guyton through mediation, with the city agreeing to pay $20,000 to bring an end to the case.
The civil case was filed April 17, 2020 in U.S. District Court in Austin. According to online court documents, the nature for the suit was job discrimination due to race.
City Manager James Fisher said after thorough investigation of the facts of the case, the city determined it “had not acted improperly.” However, he also said the settlement of the case is “in the best interest of the city,” allowing staff to focus their time and resources on serving Brenham citizens.
Guyton, who is Black, was employed by the city from approximately November of 2010 through September of 2019, according to online records. Guyton was a maintenance worker in the Public Works department, and his title at the time of his termination was Parks Electrician. He was represented in the case by Christopher McKinney of the McKinney Law Firm in San Antonio.
More and more lies by our city government! Time to force a few resignations just like ERCOT. This cannot be tolerated by the citizens of Brenham.
If Mr Guyton reported this to the City’s Human Resources Director and they did Nothing about it then he had every right to file a charge. Unfortunately the Tax payers on now on the Hook for it.
So what else has the city leaders lied to is about???? I think Fischer should be forced to resign and all of city council be replaced…. DR needs to go. He was Damhause and Ogles pet. Can people that think so highly of Fischer see why he was cut loose so quick at his last stop?!!!
There is obviously things that Re covered up at city hall that no honest individual business would tolerate. The city management and directors are obviously a group of tyrants that dictate the growing regulations on citizens, they. Intros the media, they control their own salaries, they control property tax increase, utility cost increases, they invent new fees for storm drainage, they choose what friends to do business with. The management and directors need to be investigated. The citizens need to form a watchdog committee.
What’s the saying ?…..”Give ’em enough rope and they will eventually hang themselves”. Sounds like they now how plenty of rope.
City paid out because they know they cannot win in court. If they claim they are innocent then they wouldn’t have paid out the money. So they know discrimination took place and paid out to get it over with. I see some of you don’t even know the detail of this case but are claiming the Guyton was wrong and just out to get money…. typical of Brenham.
I am not understanding how James Fisher states that the city had not acted improperly but felt it was in the best interest of the city to award a large settlement & then fabricate the true settlement amount. Certain things speaks for itself. The public should not have to pay for people with some authority having personal issues against employees. Th best thing the city can do is hold people involved accountable for their actions & let the public know the entire truth. It would be another disgrace to find out that this may not be the only inappropriate action but rather the first one that held the city accountable. The people deserves the truth!!
City is responsible for those employs so therefor the City is responsible if corrective action was not taken. Apparently it was not because the City settled.
#fire Fisher & Dane! A waste of tax payers money going down the drain… literally! It’s time now and no excuses just get it done before more lawsuits are brought about and just imagine how many more lies have been covered up!!!
A private investigator needs to be hired!
Oh well they were looking out for the citizens. Who pays the insurance premiums. If the city did nothing wrong why settle. Let us have the real story.
Go back and read it now. James Fisher lied to keep Dane Rau out of the fire! Why lie to the public about this?
Wow! City did nothing wrong and wrote a check for $20,000 dollars?? Sounds like intimidation and entitlement!!! Wow!!
That sets a great precedent for people in our community. “We determined the city did not discriminate against this man however we will be writing him a $20,000 check for playing the game”. Where do I get in line for my check?
Yep, sad world we live in, this is a common practice, it is cheaper to settle than to take it to court
Settlement means the City was wrong in this situation and would not win in court.
???
The city manager and his cronies LIED about reporting this. A half truth is a LIE. This should automatically require an open council session and an investigation and automatic termination of the liars. The tax payers must demand honesty. No payout to those that are terminated for being public liar servants.