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Valicenti's suit against city, police almost over
The agreement needs only the City
Council's approval for the mayoral candidate's lawsuit to be settled.
By Teresa Wood staff writer
October 11, 2002
PORT ST. LUCIE A whistle-blower lawsuit filed by
mayoral candidate Anthony Valicenti more than
two years ago is near settlement, putting to rest an issue that has
threatened to overshadow more substantial matters in the contentious
mayoral race.
"An
agreement has been reached, pending City Council approval," City
Attorney Roger Orr said Thursday. "I will be asking the City Council
for an attorney-client session in which I will present the results of the
mediation with a recommendation."
Orr
would not disclose the specifics of the proposed agreement, but he said Valicenti was not asking for more money than he
previously requested, which was based on attorney's fees.
Valicenti previously estimated attorney's fees at
$20,000. The case was scheduled for trial on Oct. 28 and court-ordered
mediation was conducted Wednesday.
"I
kept my commitment that I would seek no remuneration for myself, and I'm
not," Valicenti said. "By the
agreement that was reached, I believe we saved the taxpayers a lot of
money. Neither side will have to pursue it any further."
Orr
said he recommended the settlement because it made sense from "a
business point of view."
One
component of that decision is that it would be more economical to settle
than to go to trial, but Orr said there were greater factors influencing
the decision, which he would not disclose.
Orr
said the attorney-client session would be scheduled with the City Council
during the next few weeks.
Mayor
Bob Minsky, who faces Valicenti
in the mayoral race, said he was aware Orr planned to request the meeting
and that the attorney would recommend settlement, but he did not want to
comment until after the council makes a decision.
Minsky said the City Council typically does not rebuff
recommendations from Orr.
"This
is just an offer that council is going to consider. It could go either
way," Minsky said.
In
the past, Minsky has objected to settling the
lawsuit because he didn't want lawsuits filed against the city just to
collect attorney's fees.
Valicenti filed the lawsuit in August 2000
arguing he had been wrongfully terminated from his job as a Port St.
Lucie police administrator because he reported to the Florida Department
of Law Enforcement alleged improprieties within the department.
Valicenti was placed on administrative leave
after condemning the department's handling of a May 2000 domestic
incident involving his son, Vincent, Vincent's ex-fiancee
and her daughter. At the time, he said he was "scared of his own
police department."
Valicenti's position later was eliminated. The city
has maintained it was because of budget cuts that also eliminated two
other police positions.
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