OFF THE WIRE
Kristi Pihl
Source: insurancenewsnet.com
Washington - Oct. 12--Kennewick has settled with a Tacoma motorcyclist and a motorcycle club who accused the city of violating the state Public Records Act.
The city will pay $45,000 as part of the settlement of the two lawsuits and release some of the disputed records, City Attorney Lisa Beaton told the city council earlier this week.
The city has not admitted any wrongdoing in the handling of the records requests filed by Edward Goehring and Washington Confederation of Clubs.
Both separately sued Kennewick after they claim they were improperly denied documents, including photos and videos, that Kennewick police took when they cited motorcyclists in separate incidents.
Goehring was one of eight motorcyclists stopped by Kennewick police and Benton County sheriff's deputies in August 2012 and cited for traffic violations.
And in April 2013, authorities stopped some motorcyclists from the Washington Confederation of Clubs and cited them for traffic infractions during a gathering in Kennewick.
In both cases, Kennewick police pursued information about outlaw motorcycle gangs, Beaton said.
The city, Goehring and the motorcycle club still disagree about some records. However, they agreed to have a third-party arbitrator review those records to decide which should be withheld or redacted and then released, Beaton said.
The $45,000 will come from the city's risk management fund. Insurance does not cover public record lawsuits, she said. About $12,400 will go to the motorcycle club, and Goehring will receive the remainder.
As part of the agreement, Goehring and the motorcycle club will dismiss their lawsuits with prejudice, which means they can't be filed again, according to city documents.
Goehring and the motorcycle club are represented by the same attorney.
