Finance Committee - 4/19/2017 Page 3
would just think long and hard before we took away their ability to do that because their element is no longer
usable or feasible to helping with any of the settlements. | would just be cautious about taking that away from
them.
Mayor Donchess
You're point being that it could be revealing as to the way risk management would handle future cases.
Alderman Deane
Correct. We are telling the attorneys who are representing whomever in filing suits against us, this is exactly
what we may be doing and how we might be doing it. It puts our risk management department in a significant
disadvantage, | think.
Mayor Donchess
What we have before us is the main motion that the minutes be sealed until the majority of the committee votes
to release them, but the pending motion is to amend the main motion so the release would take place at the
time the settlement is made public.
Alderman Wilshire
I’m not going to support the amendment. | agree with everything Alderman Deane said.
Mayor Donchess
| think | agree with that too. | think some of the things that the attorneys are revealing. | don’t think it is in the
plaintiff's interests particularly that we release this. The plaintiff is getting money. He has a serious injury.
They went through a nine hour mediation.
Alderman Clemons
We're in public session.
Mayor Donchess
| know. They went through a mediation. | think it’s not particularly in the interest of the plaintiff or the city.
Alderman Caron
| agree. | won’t support this. If they have agreed to come out and give a press conference, | don’t think what
has been discussed in non-public should be revealed at that point. Thank you.
Alderman O’Brien
|, too, agree. You look at the umbrella. We're talking a personal issue here, as much as we would talk about
an employee, a student, or somebody else. This was handled appropriately, and | think it should be handled
as such. | can’t support that amendment.
MOTION FAILED
Mayor Donchess
We're back to the main motion to seal the minutes until such time as a majority of the committee votes that the
purpose of the confidentiality would no longer be served.
