It was the last employee lawsuit lingering from the controversial reign of former mayor Cy Sun.
And on Monday, the City of Pacific officially laid its bones to rest.
According to Mayor Leanne Guier, the City and its insurance carrier recently settled with five current and former Pacific Police Officers who sued the City after the town’s former mayor tried to fire them.
Police blocked Sun from entering his then-sealed office in July of 2012, handcuffed him and took him to a holding cell at the police station. After being released without charges being filed, Sun moved to fire the arresting officers, a police sergeant and a lieutenant.
Guier said the settlement was for approximately $180,000, $22,000 of that amount coming from City coffers and the rest from Pacific’s insurance company.
“That was a big win for the City,” Guier said. “It feels really, really good. When I first took office, I was so worried about these lawsuits and what the financial impacts would be to the City.”
The lawsuit was the last of nine brought by employees whom Sun harassed or fired. City residents recalled him in July of 2013.
Also at the meeting:
Council members voted unanimously to raise the speed limit on Frontage Road from 25 to 30 miles per hour.
After a mudslide in the spring of 2014 temporarily closed a portion of West Valley Highway, the Council lowered the speed limit between Ellingson Road and Third Avenue Southwest from 35 to 25 miles per hour and detoured traffic onto Frontage Road.
“Knowing traffic was going to be rerouted, there was a concern about pedestrian safety,” Guier said.
After that portion of West Valley Highway reopened, the City commissioned a study to analyze speed data and collision reports, and from it determined that 30 mph was a safe speed for the road.
Although the final vote for the ordinance was unanimous, Councilmember Vic Kave introduced a motion to amend the ordinance to return the speed limit to the previous 35 mph. The motion went down to defeat, 4-3.
“There was lots of discussion, but it ended up staying at 30 because of pedestrian traffic and the lack of sidewalks in the area,” Guier said.
The change will cost the city $300 for new speed limit signs.
In other action, Council members voted unanimously to approve the acceptance of a $106,000 King County Community Development Block Grant to reroof the City’s senior and community centers.
Guier said the grant will also fund the re-roofing of the awning covering the walkway that connects the senior center to city hall.
ALSO: The City recognized departing Pacific Police Department Public Information Officer Stephanie Shook. Shook, who also acted as administrative assistant to Chief john Calkins, was employed by the department for more than five years. She has accepted a job with the Arlington Police Department.
