Shoreline to pay $159,000 to settle open meeting lawsuit

The City of Shoreline agreed today to pay $159,000 to settle a lawsuit against four current and former City Council members alleging they violated the state Open Public Meetings Act.

The civil suit accused council members Maggie Fimia, Janet Way, Robert Ransom, and former member John Chang, of holding a series of illegal secret meetings in 2005 to force the resignation of then-City Manager Steve Burkett.

Legal fees in the case were growing expensive for the city, which had to pay for lawyers for the defendants, as well as for the city itself. If the city had lost the case, Shoreline might also have had to pay legal costs for the plaintiffs. Some council members feared the total tab could have reached $1 million.

The council voted 4-0 to accept the settlement at a tense morning meeting, with the accused council members prohibited from voting.

"I think it's time to put this behind us," said Council Member Keith McGlashan.

The settlement was negotiated by the city without the involvement of the accused council members, who were not happy with the amount of money the city agreed to pay.

"It feels like blackmail. It feels like a shakedown," Way said.

The settlement contained no admission of wrongdoing.