Clearwater to pay ex-firefighter $75K in settlement

CLEARWATER — A former Clearwater firefighter has settled her lawsuit with the city over a sex discrimination charge leveled against the fire chief.

Lt. Wendy Cason, a 20-year veteran and at the time the city's highest-ranking female firefighter, will receive $74,999, according to Pam Akin, Clearwater's attorney.

Akin said the city isn't acknowledging any wrongdoing. She said it makes more fiscal sense to settle than go ahead with a scheduled August trial.

Cason, who retired from the department in May 2007, referred comments to her attorney.

"Wendy Cason is very pleased with the settlement and she thinks the amount indicates that the city realizes that she was treated unlawfully," Ryan Barack said. "Lt. Cason continues to believe that there are problems at the highest levels of the Clearwater Fire Department, and she is hopeful that city leaders will continue to evaluate whether or not Jamie Geer should be fire chief."

Cason said Geer discriminated against her when he didn't allow her to take a makeup test when she missed an examination required for a promotion to district chief. A male firefighter who was also absent was allowed to take a makeup test.

Cason filed the discrimination claim against the Fire Department in December 2005.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission substantiated Cason's claim, saying the city "had a liberal practice for allowing makeup examinations and that (Cason) did provide an adequate excuse for her absence during the initial test."

The city hired the law firm of Thompson, Sizemore, Gonzalez & Hearing for $37,000 as its representative in the matter.

George Cretekos, Clearwater's vice mayor, said the city's staff was "very confident that we could and would have prevailed" if the matter had proceeded to trial.

"But the council felt for the financial situation, it was in the best interest to settle," Cretekos said.

Council member John Doran agreed and said the City Council is always monitoring to ensure that city polices are being followed.

"We do that on a regular basis," Doran said. "If someone would in fact look at what's happened over the last couple of years, I believe there has been some systematic changes."

Comments on this article

by angela	Jul 9, 2008 5:00 PM
hey chief, I LOVE when uninformed folks call the rest of us 'uniformed' ... and that's why you guys are firemen. Only needs a GED. Or an avid pursuing or dishonest claim of one. Let's do a FOIA and find out ...

by Captain Accountability	Jul 7, 2008 8:06 PM
Nadine, you are missing the whole point.The city just could have thrown that $112,000 in the wishing well of the round-a-bout and it would have been the same.It was WASTED tax money.The EEOC found Geer guilty and to this day,still no accountability!!

by FF wife	Jul 7, 2008 5:18 PM
living, while still doing their job, while still saving lives and not turning their back on a public that needed them. Even the sorry individuals who were making their lives difficult, they were still continuing to do what they took an oath to do

by fng	Jul 7, 2008 5:16 PM
numerous unfair labor practices, sex discrimination, unjust terminations, hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars wasted, and a fire department in turmoil and low morale amongst it's personnel. when is enough, enough? CITY COUNCIL FIRE HORNE!!!!!

by Wendy	Jul 7, 2008 5:09 PM
When my male counterpart was allowed to take a make-up, I requested that same courtesy. My request was denied without an explanation. I was also denied the opportunity to act as DC without explanation. The EEOC ruled on facts. There are many more

by Wendy	Jul 7, 2008 5:09 PM
Thank you to those of you who have written supportive comments. I served for 21 1/2 years, and the last few were shocking. Nadine, I had a family emergency on test day and was prepared to accept not taking the test. However, a male missed the test

by FF wife	Jul 7, 2008 3:34 PM
every year, these men and women are having to fight to just get a current contract. Go back in public record and see how many times and years they did without a pay raise, a contract. How many times did these individuals have to fight for their very

by FF wife	Jul 7, 2008 3:34 PM
what they can get. They are not the ones who set the prices for classess and what to charge the public, that is your council, your chief and administration, I know. As far as Wendy is goes, she was discriminated against. She had a reason for missing.

by FF wife	Jul 7, 2008 3:34 PM
For those who speak against the ff, Wendy and clearwater as if they know, you need to shut your mouth and listen up. I live this every day as a wife of a FF. First, these guys make less than most of you on your jobs, so please stop saying they take.

by IGM2	Jul 7, 2008 3:33 PM
If I recall correctly, T,S,&G also were the only benefactors on the suggestion of Mr. Hearring to "vacate the decision" of the Trevor Murray arbitration.The City lost that as well, and had to pay additional legal fees. When will it END

by IGM2	Jul 7, 2008 3:33 PM
Interesting how Atty's Brown and Hearring of T,S,&G made "partner" after doing work for the City of Clearwater. T,S,&G are the only ones making out trying to defend the City's wrongdoings, and declaring impasse in contract negotiations with the FF's.

by DT	Jul 7, 2008 3:33 PM
Glad Wendy prevailed, but I wish she would have held out for trial.That would have proved very interesting.It is interesting that the city has settled the last 2 major issues, Vaughan & Cason.Is their faith in T,S,& G waning?How bout in Horne & Geer?

by Joe	Jul 7, 2008 3:33 PM
Mayor and council, may I please have $75,000 just because? Thanks, Joe Tax Payer

by Darth	Jul 7, 2008 3:33 PM
I'm going to play psychic here and guess the outcome of four other discrimination charges against the "Sparkling" City of Clearwater. City-0, four Firefighters-$8.3mil. Citizens pay again for incompetent city management. HORNE MUST GO! NOW!!

by CC	Jul 7, 2008 3:33 PM
Another infidel is heard from-Nadine. Crybabies? All we want is the same as everyone else; to provide for our familes. We love our job, it's just the idiots we work for that is problem. Wasting the taxpayer $ is the real issue. Get a life, Nadine.

by Leo	Jul 6, 2008 4:25 PM
Take it out of the Chief's pay....after you fire him.

by Sunset Sam	Jul 6, 2008 4:19 PM
For well over 20 years the CFD and admistration have been at odds. Can't blame it all on current managment. Sometimes it makes sense to look at privatation. Sun Star aren't city employees, and we have no labor problems. We have a serious problem here

by ragoi	Jul 6, 2008 4:18 PM
If the public really wants to see what kind of leadership they have in that fire department, they should read Geer's deposition. It's all public record. All you have to do is go ask for it. Some of his accusations are just outrageous!

by Barbara	Jul 6, 2008 4:15 PM
Council smart? "But the council felt for the financial situation, it was in the best interest to settle," Sounds like the council already decided. As usual they turn a blind eye to the poor management currently in power. Guess smart isn't their forte

by Mr Jingles	Jul 6, 2008 3:58 PM
Just another 75k "decision" coming down for Horne and his "bootlicking" chiefs. When, oh when will the commission take notice citizens? Perhaps when they are kicked to the curb along with the incompetant "management" team they allow to act for them.

by IGM	Jul 6, 2008 3:56 PM
Why does the city pay outside law firms instead of using their own legal staff? Because 50% of all attorneys finish in the bottom half of their class and go to work for municipal govts. Of course, the continued losses by T,S & G shows ineptness too!

by Jon Pearl	Jul 6, 2008 3:54 PM
"But the council felt for the financial situation, it was in the best interest to settle," Because you were wrong! "City Council is always monitoring to ensure that city policies are being followed." What an achievement! All monitor & no action!

by IGM	Jul 6, 2008 3:53 PM
tim is obviously some frustrated uneducated slug or a chief. No fire fighter considers themselves heroes. And CPR is not taught on duty. Get a life, stop crying because you're a failure in life and go away. Save the comments for educated people.

by Nadine	Jul 6, 2008 3:48 PM
When are Clearwater's firefighters going to stop being a bunch of crybabies?! If she really wanted a promotion, she wouldn't have missed the initial testing. Get over it!

by Katie	Jul 6, 2008 3:28 PM
Cretekos,Doran, & Akins shame on YOU. Your words imply that you condone this behavior that EEOC substantiated to be dicrimination and harassment.WHY? Look the citizens (ME) in the eye and explain why you're still backing Horne and Geer. You CAN'T!!!!

by kelly	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
The council, the city, and fire admin are all liars and idiots. you don't hand someone 75k if you didn't do something wrong! This was a payoff to drop the larger lawsuit that was forthcoming. Way to go wendy, you should have held out for more!

by tim	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
With the guaranteed pay hikes - in ANY economy, pensions, health insurance, and proposed two-hour lunches, these "Hero" union firefighters shamelessly take what ever they can get. Even on duty they charge a citizen $75 to spend 1/2 hour teaching CPR.

by CC	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
The city still has the stance that they did no wrong, YET THE FEDERAL EEOC FOUND THEM WRONG! Monitoring the chiefs? Changes? Get real. That's why 4 more have filed charges with the US EEOC. Wake up, commissioners. Geer and the others need to go now!

by IGM	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
The coments by pete only goes to show that some people will argue just to hear themselves argue. He's probably a frustrated infidel who couldn't cut it in life and vents at everything and everone no matter how ignorant he sounds. Get a life.

by John	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
Why not provide a link to the Lawsuit to be view by the public? This never happens by the writer.

by hank	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
when will the city councel finally realise they can no longer afford horne and his puppet geer. it is time for the tax payers of clearwater to get smart and rise up and say enough is enough.

by Another Loss	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
"Akin said the city isn't acknowledging any wrongdoing."Doesn't just giving Ms. Cason $75,000 say it all?If innocent,why settle?I am tired of my hard earned tax money being wasted due to incompitance.

by John	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
Gone to trial? what are you nuts? the City has already wasted $37000 on lawyers now another 75000 to settle. This isn't a frivolous lawsuit about discrimination, it's about incompetence from City Hall on down. Ignorant and imcompetent fools

by Marie	Jul 5, 2008 10:37 PM
This is the first settlement in the discrimination suits at the EEOC. I hope the citizens of Clwtr have deep pockets as chief geer and his band have continued the discriminating against the FFs. When are you council members going to wake up??

by joe	Jul 5, 2008 12:38 AM
she should be glad she didn't get promoted. that position was eliminated shortly after the promotions were made