Tri States Public Radio has details of the separation agreement between the city of Galesburg and former City Manager Gerald Smith.
TSPR obtained a copy of the agreement through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the city.
The four-page agreement says the city will give Smith 20 weeks of severance pay. It will be paid bi-weekly, and the city will pay all leave payouts.
Smith was hired last fall at a starting salary of $165,000.
The separation agreement also states that the city won’t seek repayment of a $10,000 lump sum relocation payment Smith received when he moved to town, even though his contract called for him to make the payment if he left the position.
If another potential employer contacts the city about Smith, officials will only provide his job title, dates of employment, and last rate of pay.
In exchange, Smith agreed not to file charges involving the city with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and he won’t file for wrongful termination or dismissal.
He also agreed not to file a discrimination complaint.
The city council approved the agreement during a special meeting Monday evening on a 5-to-0 vote. Council member Dwight White abstained, and Sarah Davis was absent.
You can read more about the vote here.
And you can read more about events leading up to the special meeting here.
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