Jerry Hudlow dropped his contempt motion against the city of Rogers, saying in a federal court filing the sides have resolved their differences.
Hudlow, former Rogers’ treasurer, also filed a satisfaction of judgment Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
Hudlow asked a federal judge in late May to hold the city in contempt, arguing he was not properly reinstated to his old job as the court previously ordered.
Hudlow said the city willfully failed to comply with the court’s order to reinstate him, and said he was effectively ostracized from his former role as treasurer.
Hudlow returned to work at Rogers May 15. He claimed in motions he was assigned an office in the city’s annex building. Hudlow said he had no staff, and little access to city financial information, according to the motion for contempt. He also claimed he was not authorized to transact any business for the city and the new director of finance was still responsible for most aspects of Hudlow’s former work as treasurer.
Hudlow contended the city had not paid him some $406,000 he was awarded in damages.
The city had asked that the jury’s verdicts, and the accompanying damages, be set aside by the judge or that he grant a new trial on damages. The city also asked that collection of damages be stayed. Both motions were denied Tuesday as moot.
Both sides met May 28 and negotiated a $62,000 settlement, in addition to the earlier court awards. Hudlow resigned and is again working as finance director for the city of Lowell
Hines fired Hudlow on May 12, 2012. A federal jury awarded Hudlow $300,000 in November in the wrongful termination lawsuit.
In his complaint, Hudlow argued Hines and the Rogers City Council violated city ordinances and a state statute on firing an appointed employee.
U.S. District Judge Jimm Hendren wrote in his order that reinstatement was the proper remedy despite testimony Hudlow and Hines don’t trust each other, and Hudlow had a strained relationship with employees.
Hendren also ordered the city to pay Hudlow’s attorney, Stephen Lee Wood, $84,697 in attorney fees, $7,937 to compensate Hudlow for increased taxes resulting from the lump sum judgment for damages and $164 in pre-judgment interest on lost wages. Interest also is continuing to accrue on the debt.
Hudlow was hired by former mayor Steve Womack in 2002. Hines, a councilman at the time, was the only member of the council to vote against Hudlow’s appointment.