Madison County paid former employee Kristen Poshard and her attorneys $850,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging she was wrongfully terminated for resisting sexual harassment by former county board member Phil Chapman.
According to the settlement agreement obtained pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, Poshard received $100,000 for back wages and $402,894.44 for other losses. Poshard’s attorneys with Silverstein & Wolf LLC received $347,105.56 for fees and court costs.
Despite the settlement, the agreement states that defendants Kurt Prenzler, Doug Hulme, Phil Chapman and Madison County deny all allegations of wrongdoing.
Poshard voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice on June 21 through attorney Ferne Wolf.
Poshard was hired by Madison County as Chief Deputy Administrator for Community Development in 2016, with a $92,000 salary. She was terminated from her position in October 2017.
Poshard filed her lawsuit in 2019 alleging Chapman requested a confidential meeting outside the county’s offices in May 2017. She claims she believed the meeting was in relation to county business and agreed to meet at Cracker Barrel in Troy on May 24, 2017.
Poshard claims that when she arrived, Chapman hugged her and said he became excited and tingly. She alleges he stuck a note on the table asking what kind of underwear he wore. When she refused to answer, Chapman allegedly told her he wore a black thong. Poshard claims she then got up and left.
According to the complaint, former Madison County Administrator Hulme informed Poshard on May 31, 2017, that she would be paired with Chapman at a golf tournament for local officials.
“Plaintiff said it felt disgusting that he was whoring her out to play with Chapman,” the suit stated.
Poshard claims she notified Madison County Chairman Prenzler and Chapman that she would not attend the golf tournament. Then Chapman allegedly contacted her and told her he scheduled a meeting in Chicago on the same weekend she would be there.
“While plaintiff tried to avoid Chapman, he repeatedly appeared at her office and he continued to call, email, or text her,” the suit stated.
Prenzler allegedly apologized after Poshard showed him Chapman’s text messages and email on June 7, 2017. The next day, Poshard claims Prenzler said Chapman admitted he had taken things too far.
Then on June 10, 2017, Poshard, Prenzler and Hulme allegedly agreed to ban Chapman from county buildings.
“Prenzler said to expect retaliation because Chapman was the most vindictive person in the county,” the suit stated.
“As of June 11, it appeared that Chapman might resign from the county board and would no longer be around plaintiff’s work place,” it continued. “Within a short time, however, he changed his mind.”
Poshard claims she was later placed on leave and taken off the county website as part of community development staff. She was discharged on Oct. 18, 2017.
Poshard proposed a settlement conference after the case stalled due to discovery disputes. All parties agreed and requested the conference on Feb. 9 with U.S. Magistrate Judge Gilbert Sison presiding. The conference was held in March.
Attorneys Ferne Wolf and Jill Silverstein of Maryville, Mo., appeared at the settlement conference with Poshard.
Christi Coleman, Annette Schoeherle and Andrew Carruthers appeared on behalf of Madison County.
Michael Wagner appeared on behalf of Chapman.
David Schott appeared on behalf of Prenzler.
Christopher Bailey appeared on behalf of Hulme.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:19-cv-324