The City of Jefferson recently settled a civil lawsuit.

The City Council approved a $2,000 settlement with the City’s insurance company in the lawsuit with Roger Neilson.

The lawsuit, that was filed on May 27, 2015, claims that the City breached its duty to act in accordance with a recognized engineering or safety standard in the design, construction maintenance of the overpass bridge and drainage and storm sewer system.  The City is further accused of causing past and future damage to Nielson’s property and constituting an inverse condemnation. As a result, Neilson claims that his property at 102 West McKinley Street sustained damage during a significant rainfall event on May 30, 2013.

In the end, the City was found to not be at fault and City Administrator Mike Palmer says since they settled, the City is released of any liability in the case. He explains why the Council chose to settle with Neilson.

“The legal fees just to continue on and make motions and get it dismissed would far outweigh the $2,000. Again, it’s not the City writing the check, it’s our insurance company. I know some of our Council members really had to bite hard to say yes to this. But in the long-term, it was in the best interest of the City just to settle it and move on.”

Court documents also show that Union Pacific Railroad, Dixon Construction and Snyder and Associates had their allegations dismissed.