Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson, who fired former Harrisburg School Superintendent Gerald Kohn, is speaking out about the multi-million dollar lawsuit he and two others were awarded Tuesday for wrongfully being fired.
Many people we spoke to about this say that's money the city and cash strapped school district can't afford. The school district actually has a consultant who is holding a meeting Thursday night, to talk about getting the school district back to financial health.
Kohn and two of his former assistant were awarded close to $2.4-million dollars. In 2010, they sued the city and school district for being wrongfully fired.
Kohn's lawyer, Walter Cohen says the mayor fired him, not because he wasn't doing a good job, but the Mayor allegedly wanted payback. "Oh, it's very clear. He was let go, because when he first became the Superintendent, he ended a contract of the Mayor, which she had for her non profit called 'Loveship'. To assist the students in the school district, the determination was made, not by gerald kohn, but by a contractor that found her performance wasn't what was required of her contract. And she said at the time that she would get even with Gerald Kohn."
According to her attorney, Mayor Linda Thompson says she's happy with the settlement. He goes on to say, the Mayor was facing one count of civil conspiracy, which she'd always adamently denied. The settlement dismisses that count with prejudice.
Mayor Thompson is contributing no money to this settlement. She's pleased with the opportunity to move on to other issues facing Harrisburg.
Kohn and the two others will be paid through multiple venues. The insurance companies will take care of paying out $2 million. The Harrisburg School District will pay $125,00. The rest of the costs will be paid by a lawfirm, including the lawyer who advised the school district and the Mayor at the time of Kohn's firing, will pay $250,000.
Many people we spoke to about this say that's money the city and cash strapped school district can't afford. The school district actually has a consultant who is holding a meeting Thursday night, to talk about getting the school district back to financial health.
Kohn and two of his former assistant were awarded close to $2.4-million dollars. In 2010, they sued the city and school district for being wrongfully fired.
Kohn's lawyer, Walter Cohen says the mayor fired him, not because he wasn't doing a good job, but the Mayor allegedly wanted payback. "Oh, it's very clear. He was let go, because when he first became the Superintendent, he ended a contract of the Mayor, which she had for her non profit called 'Loveship'. To assist the students in the school district, the determination was made, not by gerald kohn, but by a contractor that found her performance wasn't what was required of her contract. And she said at the time that she would get even with Gerald Kohn."
According to her attorney, Mayor Linda Thompson says she's happy with the settlement. He goes on to say, the Mayor was facing one count of civil conspiracy, which she'd always adamently denied. The settlement dismisses that count with prejudice.
Mayor Thompson is contributing no money to this settlement. She's pleased with the opportunity to move on to other issues facing Harrisburg.
Kohn and the two others will be paid through multiple venues. The insurance companies will take care of paying out $2 million. The Harrisburg School District will pay $125,00. The rest of the costs will be paid by a lawfirm, including the lawyer who advised the school district and the Mayor at the time of Kohn's firing, will pay $250,000.