Lawsuit against city still pending

RED OAK — A verbal agreement has been reached in a 2009 lawsuit filed by a former Red Oak employee against the city, according to her attorney.

Brooke Timmer, an attorney with the Fiedler law firm, confirmed Monday afternoon that after mediation last week on behalf of her client, Christine Morrison, and attorneys for the city, a verbal agreement was reached.

She said the agreement included a settlement payment of $125,000 to Morrison, although neither party admitted fault.

She added the agreement had not been officially approved by both parties, but it expected to be completely resolved in 30 days.

Kristopher Marsden, an attorney with Stuart Tinley Law Firm who is representing the city, refused to comment on the agreement.

“Until we have a document signed and in place, I’m not comfortable commenting on anything,” he said.

Morrison filed her lawsuit June 1, 2009, naming the City of Red Oak and City Administrator Brad Wright as defendants.

In the lawsuit, Morrison alleges Wright violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act by not retaining her job as animal control officer after she joined the Iowa National Guard.
The original lawsuit also accused Wright of sexual harassment, but that count was later dropped by Morrison.