Loudon settles with former counc

Loudon settles with former councilman

Jonathan Herrmann news-herald.net

Loudon City Council voted Monday to give $1,097 to former councilman Lynn Millsaps to avoid potential litigation related to an accident in July 2017.

A city police vehicle struck a building owned by Millsaps on July 20, 2017, after another motorist ran a stop sign and collided with the police cruiser.

An investigation by Tennessee Highway Patrol found that the city was not at fault, and because the other driver was not insured Millsaps got no money for the damage.

Millsaps repeatedly sought payment from the city for the damages and in October 2017 requested vehicle data from the LPD vehicle that struck his building. Millsaps raised the issue at multiple council meetings until he left office in 2018.

“I had over $10,000 in damages to a building I own that was hit by that car,” Millsaps said during a meeting in March 2018. “I was at home, in bed asleep when that happened. I was told the next day that I was just out of luck.”

The previous council chose not to take action. Current council members decided to authorize the payment “in exchange for compromise and settlement of claims.”

Johnny James made the motion, and Tim Dixon provided the second. Mayor Jeff Harris voted against the payment.

In other business, council members:

• Authorized the replacement of a Ford F250 through a vehicle trade-in program. The vehicle will be upgraded to four-wheel drive at a cost of $8,286.

• Authorized the purchase of a New Holland TS6.110 tractor and Diamond 22-foot rear cradle boom mower at a cost of $99,999.

• Authorized the termination of a building lease agreement with the Loudon County Economic Development Agency.

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3/27/19