PB settles age-bias suit; council must vote to OK

PINE BLUFF -- A former fire battalion chief's age-discrimination case against Pine Bluff was settled Wednesday in U.S. District Court, but the agreement must be approved by the City Council before it's finalized.

The terms of the agreement in James Moore's case against the city were sealed by Judge Jerome Kearney of Arkansas' Eastern District, who presided over Wednesday's hearing in Little Rock.

Pine Bluff Alderman Bill Brumett, who attended the hearing, said the City Council will vote on a resolution to finalize the settlement Sept. 2. The majority of the settlement will be paid by the Arkansas Municipal League, with the city contributing just 10 percent, Brumett said.

The amount the city will pay out to Moore if the City Council approves the measure has not yet been made public.

Arkansas Municipal League Attorney Sara Teague, who represented Pine Bluff in the case, said she had no comment. A message left Wednesday for Moore's attorney, James Stanley Jr. of Little Rock, was not returned.

In December 2011, then-Pine Bluff Mayor Carl Redus hired Shauwn Howell as chief of Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services over Moore, the battalion fire chief.

In January 2013, Moore filed suit against the city, alleging racial and age discrimination in the hiring process. Moore is white and was 49 at the time Howell was hired as fire chief. Howell is black and was 43.

During a motion for summary judgment hearing held in May at the request of the city, a judge ruled that Moore did not have enough evidence to back up his claim of racial discrimination and dismissed that part of the suit.

State Desk on 08/24/2014

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