Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
A Washington state fire chief who was awarded $734,376.50 in damages by a federal court earlier this year, has reached a settlement of his wrongful termination and defamation suits with the defendants that will avoid the matter being prolonged by appeals and further proceedings. Fire Chief David Bathke was terminated in 2019 by Ocean Shores Mayor Crystal Dingler after he refused her requests to resign.
Chief Bathke sued contending that under his employment contract he could only be terminated for cause, which Dingler lacked. US District Court Judge Benjamin H. Settle agreed awarding Chief Bathke the $735k judgment.
Under the terms of the settlement, the city will pay Chief Bathke $725,000 in exchange for the release of all claims in the federal court suit, and the dismissal of a second suit brought by the chief against Fire Captain Corey Kuhl in state court. The state court suit was pending in Grays Harbor County Superior Court, and alleged defamation.
Dingler issued a press release calling the settlement a “a significant step.” She also said: “We can finally put this behind us and move our focus toward further developing our Fire Department and strengthening our EMS and Fire service.”
