Latest news with #Rife
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Carthage, Dagnan reach $275,000 settlement in wrongful termination suit
CARTHAGE, Mo. — A wrongful termination lawsuit filed by the former city manager of Carthage against the city last year was settled Tuesday at a cost of $275,000 to the city's insurance carrier. The city announced in a statement posted on its website after a closed meeting of the council Tuesday that the lawsuit had been settled and the city's portion of the cost was its $1,000 deductible. The city released the settlement and its terms Wednesday after a Missouri Sunshine Law request was filed by The Joplin Globe. The settlement said the city, through its liability insurance carrier, Midwest Public Risk, would pay Greg Dagnan $275,000 with $136,948.53 going to Dagnan and $138,051.47 going to his attorney, Aaron Hadlow, from Aurora. As part of the agreement, the city makes no admission of wrongdoing. The settlement also says the city agrees to waive all claims against Dagnan 'including but not limited to recoupment of the severance monies paid by the defendant to the plaintiff at the time of the plaintiff's separation of employment with the city on or about June 3, 2024.' At that time, Dan Rife, then the mayor, ordered the city to pay Dagnan three months' salary, or $27,427.20 in severance, the amount agreed to in a letter signed by the Rife and Dagnan at the time of his promotion to city administrator. Dagnan spent 13 years as Carthage police chief before being appointed assistant city administrator in 2021 and then city administrator with the sudden retirement of longtime administrator Tom Short in 2022. Dagnan on Wednesday told the Globe his attorney advised him not to comment. Hadlow did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday. Putting it behind them Carthage Mayor Bren Flanigan told the Globe in a telephone interview Wednesday that the settlement was a step toward putting the chaos of the past year in the rearview mirror. He said the vote was unanimous to sign the agreement after discussions with the attorneys from Midwest Public Risk in Tuesday's closed session held prior to the regular City Council meeting. 'I think it was brought up several times last night by council members representing their ward, they had been told we need to get beyond this," Flanigan said. "There was passionate debate and good solid debate, and the council decided what they wanted to do, and the result was they told me sign the agreement.' The City Council attempted to fire Dagnan at its April 9, 2024, regular meeting — the first meeting after the April 2, 2024, municipal elections brought in five new council members. Four of the new members were supported by a political action committee called Carthage Citizens United. That group formed in late 2023 in the wake of a dispute between the council and the board of directors of city-owned Carthage Water & Electric in June 2023 over documentation of salaries of utility workers. Rife initially resisted the council's efforts to fire Dagnan and retained him as city administrator until the end of May 2024, following the advice of an attorney representing Rife in the effort to impeach him. Dagnan filed his lawsuit claiming unlawful retaliation and wrongful termination May 17, 2024, naming the nine council members at the time of his filing and Carthage Citizens United as defendants. Flanigan noted that most of the charges brought up in Dagnan's suit had been denied by the court judge, including those against Carthage Citizens United. 'I think it was right at a year ago Dagnan named 11 defendants and was seeking 36 separate allegations of violations that those 11 defendants had committed,' Flanigan said. 'In the course of the last year, 35 of those 36 have been dismissed or gone to court and decided against Dagnan." Flanigan said an attorney advised the City Council on Tuesday that dismissal of any remaining claim by Dagnan could take up to two years "and a lot of money, and the council I think wisely decided we're just going to get on with it. That's what they voted to do.' Matthew Gist, the attorney hired by Midwest Public Risk to represent the city, told the Globe he couldn't comment on the case when contacted Wednesday. 2 letters According to the statement released by the city on Tuesday, Midwest Public Risk told the council that it could have rejected the settlement offer but that if it did, the city could have been 'responsible for all further legal costs and any additional settlement amounts.' Midwest Public Risk, a not-for-profit insurance pool, had sent the city two letters regarding Dagnan's lawsuit and the city's liability insurance costs since Dagnan filed his suit. • In a letter dated Oct. 8, 2024, Midwest recommended that the city 'immediately adopt a formal policy of obtaining legal advice prior to making employment practice decisions, especially terminations by the council.' The letter also said the city could be subject to sanctions, 'which may include a deductible increase or even termination of your membership in Midwest Public Risk. Our goal is to ensure that all members are adequately managing risks, as this benefits both the city and the broader membership.' That letter cited the Dagnan lawsuit as a factor in its recommendations. • In a letter dated March 24, 2025, Midwest Public Risk announced it was raising the city's employment practices liability deductible from $1,000 in the 2024-25 fiscal year to $50,000 in the 2025-26 period and raising the law enforcement liability deductible from $1,000 to $5,000 over the same period.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State fund helps Oak Park Heights plan for PFAS treatment
A state fund created to help cities that are losing a power plant is helping Oak Park Heights pay for design work on a potential future water treatment facility to remove PFAS from the city's two wells. In 2028, Oak Park Heights will lose its largest taxpayer when Xcel Energy shutters the Allen S. King power plant. The plant, which employs 77 people, provides 27 percent of the city's tax base — or about $1.5 million — in 2024, said Jacob Rife, city administrator. At the same time, the city needs $2.1 million to design a potential new water treatment facility that would be located somewhere near Oak Park Heights City Hall. City officials learned last year that both of the city's drinking water wells tested above state guidelines for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The current numbers, however, remain within federal guidelines, and no action is required as of yet, Rife said. 'However, we are taking a very proactive approach in that our numbers could change, or the state could make their numbers enforceable, so we want to be ready to go,' he said. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development this week awarded Oak Park Heights a second Community Energy Transition grant, this one for $374,800, to help pay for plans for the facility. Last year, the city received a $440,000 Community Energy Transition grant for a feasibility study and pre-design work for the new treatment facility. This year's grant will be used to evaluate data from the earlier studies and determine 'the process, equipment, treatment plant building design and project cost estimates,' according to DEED. The agency's Energy Transition Office supports cities undergoing or preparing for power-plant closures 'in their efforts to maintain vitality and diversify their economies,' said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. 'Communities can face significant uncertainty when a power plant closes. Through these grants, we're partnering with local officials to help ease that transition.' The city is contracting with Stantec for preliminary design work to help answer questions such as where a potential new treatment facility would be sited, size of the facility, costs and construction schedules, Rife said. The grant funds will get the city's design plans to approximately 50 percent for water treatment at Wells 1 and 2, and city officials tentatively expect to get to 50 percent design by summer of 2026, he said. St. Paul Park Police chief is fourth department head in city to resign since January Norwegian group will host Syttende Mai celebration in Stillwater Gammelgården opens for season on May 3; restoration of Pastor's House is planned MN Health Department updates fish consumption guidelines for PFAS Oakdale middle school teacher charged with criminal sexual conduct with minor The city will use $110,000 from its own water funds to pay for the design work, but is still seeking grants and state bonding to cover the rest, Rife said. The city also anticipates receiving funds from a national class-action settlement regarding PFAS in drinking water supplies, Rife said. The chemical company DuPont last year agreed to pay $1.185 billion to public water systems across the U.S. that detect PFAS chemicals in their drinking water supplies. 'I'm not sure of where that number will land,' Rife said. 'We have some ballpark estimates right now, but we just won't know until that comes in, so we're trying to get the majority of the design work to be funded through grants and outside money, so we're being very aggressive in pursuing grants.' Mayor Mary McComber said the city has to be proactive. 'If something happens to one of our wells, and we need to shut it down, well, we only have two wells, and that's it,' she said. 'We need more water supply.'
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oak Park Heights state of emergency declared to deal with water main break
Officials in Oak Park Heights have declared a state of emergency as crews work to repair a municipal water main break between Lookout Trail and Peacan Avenue. The break has caused underground water loss and excessive pumping of water from the city's wells, with water losses appearing to be in excess of tens of thousands of gallons per day, city officials said, leading to the risk of underground erosion and loss of water service to residents if the condition worsens. The repair, which is expected to cost $175,000, is complicated because the water main traverses between private properties and the topography is challenging, said City Administrator Jacob Rife. The water main is buried more than 20 feet deep in one area, requiring a larger excavation pit than normal, he said. Making the repair even more complicated is the fact that excavators encountered large pieces of concrete and rebar construction debris – believed to be part of an old, demolished highway project — buried in the area, he said. In addition, there is a private garage directly adjacent to the dig site that complicated the excavation, he said. Because of the challenges, city officials have decided to use a more-expensive 'cured-in-place' polymer pipe liner to ensure the section is properly repaired, he said. Because there are only a few contractors who do that kind of work, city officials needed to declare a state of emergency to allow the city to move forward with a contract that is not subject to normal purchasing and competitive-bidding requirements, according to Rife. 'We want to make sure it gets fixed promptly and also want to make sure we have a solution that will last for the long term,' Rife said. The current pipe was constructed in 1976, and 'it's had a good run,' he said. 'It's just in a unique location. You don't expect a water main to be running in the road right of way and running through people's back yards.' The repair project is expected to start April 22 and continue until the end of the month, he said. Lake Elmo assistant principal injured in fight between students Long-awaited Tanners Lake development plan in Oakdale includes apartments, townhomes Open house set for proposed Maplewood-Woodbury-Afton trail At Capitol and Stillwater, a swing to commemorate baseball history MN robotics teams preparing to compete in the big one: FIRST Championship
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge denies impeached Carthage mayor's request for immediate reinstatement
CARTHAGE, Mo. — A Cole County Judge rules against embattled former mayor Dan Rife in his request to be immediately reinstated as the mayor of Carthage. PREVIOUS: Hearing underway to decide fate of embattled Carthage mayor The civil suit was a request to review the City of Carthage's impeachment of, then-Mayor, Rife and to immediately reinstate him. Rife's primary argument was that the Carthage City Council did not have enough votes to impeach him. At the time of the impeachment hearing, there were only eight seated city council members. Two of the seats were vacant due to resignations. At the beginning of the impeachment hearing, Rife's attorney objected to Mayor Pro Tem Alan Snow's ruling that six votes were enough to get rid of Rife. All of the council members were present and participated in the hearing. The six council members who voted for impeachment signed the Articles of Impeachment. In today's ruling, Judge Cotton Walker said that Rife did not ask the entire council to weigh in on whether they agreed with Snow's ruling on the number of votes they needed to impeach him and therefore, had waived his right to have that issue reviewed by a court. Christopher Thornton, Rife's attorney, has made the number of votes used to impeach his client as his central argument. He also objected to the issue at the beginning of the impeachment trial. 'Before we begin I would like to make a couple things on the record, if I could. One is, I noted that you made a ruling that six votes will be required tonight by the Board of Impeachment to convict. I want to renew my objection to that. As briefed, we believe that the correct number is seven, and I would like to make that objection on the record.' Christopher Thornton, Impeachment Trial of Dan Rife Paul Martin, the council's impeachment attorney, said today that Rife had the obligation to ask all of the council members to weigh in on whether they agreed with Snow's ruling about the number of votes needed for impeachment. Today we spoke with a few council members about Judge Cotton's ruling and asked whether they understood Rife had an obligation to ask every member of the council. 'I didn't know,' Snow said. 'I was advised on hearing procedures by the hearing officer, Mr. Engelmeyer. I didn't know that any other procedure was necessary.' City council member Lori Leece was equally confused by today's ruling. She echoed Snow's response and said they had already received a legal opinion on the matter. 'I didn't think I had to [weigh in] because the City Attorney, Jon Gold, advised Alan Snow about how many votes were needed to impeach,' Leece said. 'Acting as a juror in the impeachment hearing, this wasn't in the rules given to us as a Council.' 'We raised that question, and so did the city's attorney,' said council member Chris Taylor. 'The city's attorney told them they needed at least seven votes. He testified to that at the hearing. Lori and I voted no because we knew they needed at least seven votes to impeach.' 'I wish the judge would have ruled based on case law and precedence, not on his own interpretation,' Leece said. Neither Martin or Thornton were completely clear as to what happens next based on Judge Cotton's ruling from today. Both said they needed time to review the 15-page order, but they both thought today's ruling was only in reference to Rife's request for Summary Judgment. While Thornton and Rife are trying to determine what happens next, Rife had one thing to say about today's ruling… 'I'm not done. I'm not quitting.' This tense power struggle within Carthage city government first emerged in mid-2023, when Mayor Dan Rife fired all the board members of the city-owned Carthage Water and Electric Plant because they failed to comply with his request for financial details. The City Council immediately reinstated the members of the board, drawing a battle line that pitted former City Administrator Greg Dagnan, Mayor Dan Rife, and former City Attorney Nate Dally against the council and backers of the CWEP board. That was followed by criminal charges of embezzlement against former Parks & Recreation Director Mark Peterson, after Dagnan reportedly found money missing when preparing the city budget. After a forensic audit, Peterson is facing felony charges of money laundering and stealing. Backers of CWEP's board, dotted with powerful people, including some elected officials, formed a political action committee, Carthage Citizens United, to promote candidates for the City Council who would fire Dagnan and impeach Rife. That slate of Jana Schramm, Tom Barlow, Dustin Edge, and Derek Peterson – son of the accused former Parks & Recreation director – was elected April 2, and immediately fired Dagnan and started the impeachment of Rife, who had blocked the firing. The city attorney, the administrative assistant, the fire chief, and a few other city employees resigned. Dagnan has sued the City for wrongful termination and defamation, and against CCU for tortious interference with his contract, and Rife had sued to stop his impeachment because of due process. All of this has led to legal missteps, illegally closed meetings, and rebuke by the state attorney general's office. Dustin Edge resigned from the council. Tiffany Cossey lost her council seat after a large majority of voters from Ward 5 said 'yes' to a recall question on the November 2024 ballot (see updated information in the links below). The city also received a letter from its insurer warning that coverage could be lost or diminished because 'terminations by the council' were not following employment law. (Story Date: April 1, 2024 – April 30, 2024) New Carthage City Council Members Call For Major Changes In First Meeting > New Carthage Council Members Working To Remove City Administrator > Special City Council Meeting Takes Place In Carthage > 'Tyrannical Council' – Reason Given For Resignation From Carthage City Government > Carthage City Employees Express 'No Confidence' In Seven City Council Members > Carthage City Employees And Fire Department Weigh In On City Council > Carthage Council Discusses Filling City Attorney Position > (Story Date: May 1, 2024 — May 31, 2024) Carthage Mayor Calls Special Council Meeting 'A Major Violation Of The Sunshine Law' > 'I Had To Detach': Carthage Council Member Explains Why He Walked Out Of Meeting > Carthage Councilwoman Publicly Confronts Resident Who Asked For Her Resignation > Carthage Council To Discuss Impeachment 'Charges' Against Mayor > Carthage City Administrator Files Lawsuit Against City, City Council, CCU > Twice Elected Carthage Mayor Must Pay For His Own Attorney > Carthage Council Discusses Impeachment Of Mayor At Special Meeting > Council Member Wants To Hold Off On Impeachment Proceedings Against Mayor > Carthage Special City Council Meeting Violated Missouri Sunshine Law > Carthage Council Disagrees On Filling City Attorney Position > Carthage City Administrator Greg Dagnan Fired > (Story Date: June 1, 2024 — June 30, 2024) Carthage Mayor Releases Statement Regarding Lawsuit Filed Against The City > Carthage Council Appoints Interim City Administrator At Special Meeting > Impeachment Hearing Against Carthage Mayor Now Delayed > Court Date Set For Carthage Mayor's Impeachment Hearing > Embattled Carthage Mayor Asks For New Judge, Citing Multiple Conflicts Of Interest > Carthage Council Temporarily Fills City Attorney Position > Carthage City Councilmembers Attend Sunshine Law Training > Some Defendants In Former Carthage City Admin Lawsuit Cite 'Sovereign Immunity' As Response Deadline Looms > (Story Date: July 1, 2024 — August 31, 2024) Recall Petition Filed Against Carthage Council Member Tiffany Cossey > Jasper County Certifies Signatures For Carthage Council Member Recall > Carthage City Council Over Budget On Legal Fees > Carthage Council Sets Date For Impeachment Hearing Against Mayor > Private Meeting Reveals What Carthage Mayor Was Asked To Do > Carthage Mayor And City Council Reach Agreement In Civil Hearing > New Date Set For Impeachment Hearing Of Carthage Mayor > Carthage Council Delays Hiring New Fire Chief > Carthage Fire Department Questions City Council's Inaction To Hire New Chief > Carthage Closed Session Sparks Controversy Over Fire Chief Appointment > Arguments Heard In Wrongful Termination Case Of Former Carthage City Administrator > Carthage Community Members Protest After Fire Chief Appointment Controversy > Carthage Council Says 'No' To Forensic Financial Audit Of CWEP > Split Ruling Issued In Civil Suit Against Carthage, Council Members, CCU > (Story Date: September 1, 2024 — October 31, 2024) Carthage Mayor Calls For Audit Of CWEP Amid Council Backlash > Carthage Council Approves More Funding For Mayor Impeachment Hearing > Carthage Still Without Fire Chief After Third Closed Session Meeting > Carthage Council Fails To Approve Hiring Of New Fire Chief; Interim Chief Speaks Out > Court Motion Filed To Halt Impeachment Hearing Of Carthage Mayor > Carthage City Council Member Submits Resignation > Carthage Council's Behavior Deemed 'Suspect' By Judge > Carthage Council Member Files Police Report Against City Resident > Judge Allows Petition For Damages To Move Forward Against Councilmembers, CCU > Court Hearing Highlights New Agreements In Impeachment Hearing Of Carthage Mayor > Efforts To Impeach Carthage Mayor Move Forward > City Of Carthage Faces Insurance Loss Over Employee Terminations Made By City Council > Carthage Council Members Questioned In Disqualification Hearing > Carthage City Council Member Charged With Campaign Sign Theft > Carthage Council Member Speaks About Upcoming Recall Election > Carthage Mayor Is Impeached > Attorney Files Petition After Impeachment Of Carthage Mayor > Swearing In Of Carthage Mayor Pro Tem Takes Places In Special Council Meeting > (Story Date: November 1, 2024 — December 31, 2024) 'Carthage Citizens United' Raises Nearly $36,000 From Local Donors > Carthage Voters Say 'Yes' To Removing Controversial Council Member > Carthage Seeks Out 'Neutral' Candidates To Fill Multiple Vacant Council Seats > Judge Issues Ruling In Battle Over Carthage's Mayoral Impeachment > New Mayor Leads Carthage City Council Meeting > Impeached Carthage Mayor Seeks Court Review Of Removal Process > Impeached Carthage Mayor Makes Request At City Council Meeting > No Decision Made In Court Case Of Impeached Carthage Mayor > (Story Date: January 1, 2025 — Present) Carthage Council Votes To Fill Vacant Seat > Municipal Charge Dropped Against Former Carthage Council Member > Partial Ruling Issued In Former Carthage City Admin's Wrongful Termination Lawsuit > Hearing Underway In Jefferson City To Decide Fate Of Embattled Carthage Mayor > Insurance Deductibles Skyrocket For The City Of Carthage > Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'They went crazy': Matt Rife creates buzz on SouthCoast comedy scene. Where he'll be next.
SOMERSET — If you haven't caught a local stand-up show in a while, the joke's on you, because you never know where a comedy icon might pop up in your own backyard. The SouthCoast comedy scene has been buzzing lately, serving up some unexpected treats to sold-out crowds seeking a night of laughs from local acts at intimate venues across the region. A little over a week after making a surprise appearance at Fall River's Belmont Club, celebrity stand-up Matt Rife continued his SouthCoast comedy circuit in Somerset on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Rife dropped in at Society Coffee Bar for Whale City Comedy's latest pop-up show, which also featured Massachusetts and Rhode Island-based comics Kristy Kielbasinski, Doug Key, Lad Dennis-Lopes and Jimmy Cash. And it's safe to say the special guest — a popular TikToker who skyrocketed to fame on a world stage with his brand "razor-sharp, brutally honest standup" — brought down the house at 891 County St. "They went crazy. I've never heard a 50-person crowd be that loud," said Ashlie Thatcher, founder and director of Whale City Comedy, of Tuesday's star-studded event. "That's the best part of the show for me." Fall River sighting: Comedian Matt Rife pops up for surprise set at Belmont Club. Here's why. According to Thatcher, they connected with the 29-year-old comedian and actor — whose special "Natural Selection" is featured on Netflix — through the comedy scene in Rhode Island, where the Ohio native recently purchased a home. They planned to have Rife hop on as a "fun surprise" for guests at Whale City's local pop-ups, while Rife gets the chance to work out his material at smaller venues in preparation for his upcoming world tour. "He's trying to get as much stage time as possible, so that's why he's coming to the SouthCoast," she said. Fall River was his first secret stop in the SouthCoast. And guests at Tuesday's pop-up were treated to a lengthy hour and 15 minute set to close out the Somerset show. "We had a great lineup and him ending it out was fabulous," Thatcher said. "He crushed, it was so funny." Whale City Comedy, whose mission is to grow the local comedy scene beyond big cities like Providence and Boston, is known for its lineup of pop-up shows and annual five-day comedy festival based in the SouthCoast. Thatcher said pop-ups are great because they are able to turn any space into a comedy club. "I really love to highlight great local businesses across the SouthCoast, so we can pop up anywhere from a boutique in Westport to a coffee shop in Somerset to a brewery to an art gallery. ... It brings exposure to these places while also creating a fun event," Thatcher said. And it's really a win-win for all involved said Keith Viveiros, owner of Society Coffee Bar. "It's fantastic for the area in general and it's fantastic for comedy ... to be able to host something like this was really special," said Viveiros, who noted SCB has been "inundated with 200 messages asking about it" since the first photo of Rife's Somerset stop was posted to social media. This was not the first collaboration between Whale City and Society Coffee Bar. The Somerset shop has hosted previous shows and was presenting sponsor for last year's Whale City Comedy Festival on Labor Day weekend, which brought 30 top-tier comedians from Comedy Central, Conan and The Tonight Show to venues across the region, including aboard Fall River's Battleship Massachusetts. Plans are in the works for the third annual festival coming up this Aug. 28-31. Mum's the word on when or where — or even if — he might turn up in the SouthCoast again, but Thatcher hinted it's a strong possibility. "I wouldn't be surprised if you see him again at another Whale City Comedy Show," she said. Upcoming Whale City Comedy shows include: Feb. 6 at Buzzards Bay Brewing in Westport Feb. 13 at SOPH Boutique in Westport Feb. 30 at Towne House in Fall River Rife is also among the headliners slated to perform at Lil Rhody Laugh Riot, a new four-day comedy festival taking over Providence in March. He'll be at the Comedy Connection on Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30, at 7 p.m. The lineup of Lil Rhody Laugh Riot comedians also includes Jonathan Van Ness, Kevin Hart, Michael Blaustein, Leslie Jones, Aziz Ansari, Hannah Berner, Chris Distefano, Josh Johnson, Melissa Villaseñor, Tone Bell, Sophie Buddle, Alec Flynn, and Andy Woodhull. This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Matt Rife's SouthCoast comedy tour stops in Somerset. What's next.
