Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This Ordinance is submitted to settle the lawsuit known as Jean Dennis, et al. v. the City of Columbus, et al. Case No. 10CVC-06-9157 in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, in the amount of thirty-two thousand five hundred dollars ($32, 500.00). Ms. Dennis sued the City and a City employee, alleging the City employee's negligent operation of a City motor vehicle caused her personal injury. On June 23, 2008, the City employee ran a red light colliding with a COTA bus, operated by Dennis. The City employee was cited for failure to obey a traffic control device. As a result of the collision, Dennis was injured; she received medical treatment and was out of work for five months. She could not continue as a bus driver and has taken a lesser paying job at COTA.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds have not been specifically budgeted for this settlement, but are available in the appropriate
amount.
Title
To authorize and direct the City Attorney to settle the claims brought by Jean Dennis against the City of Columbus and Randy Pepper in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, to authorize the expenditure of the sum of thirty-two thousand five hundred dollars ($32,500.00) in settlement of this lawsuit, and to declare an emergency.
Body
[WHEREAS, on June 18, 2010, Ms. Dennis filed a lawsuit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 10CVC-06-9157, against the City and City employee Randy Pepper, in which she claimed personal injury caused by Mr. Pepper's negligence in connection with a vehicular accident; and
WHEREAS, Following discovery and settlement conferences, the amount of thirty-two thousand five hundred dollars ($32, 500.00) in settlement of Ms. Dennis's claims was deemed acceptable by the City of Columbus, along with dismissal of the case with prejudice by all parties and a release of the City of Columbus and its employees, past and present, from any further liability; and
WHEREAS, a...
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