Sec. 112.307. - Claims and suits brought against the City for monetary relief.

(a) Whenever there shall be a bona fide reasonable doubt or dispute as to liability or amount due on any claim or in any court action brought against the City seeking monetary relief, such claim, whether in litigation or not, shall be compromised and settled as follows: (1) If the amount of the settlement of such claim is less than $5,000: When the appropriate department head or the Sheriff, Clerk of Court, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector or Supervisor of Elections (individually each a "Constitutional Officer"), as the case may be, or his or her designee, deems in writing that it is in the best interest of the City and his or her agency or office to settle the claim or court action and has the written concurrence of the General Counsel or his Assistant Counsel, such department head or Constitutional Officer listed above or his or her designee may authorize settlement of the claim. (2) If the full amount of such claim is $5,000 or greater: (i) When the amount of the settlement of the claim or court or administrative action against the City, including attorneys' fees and costs, does not exceed the sum of $10,000, if the General Counsel deems in writing that it is in the best interest of the City to settle the claim or court action, and upon receiving written approval of the appropriate department head or the appropriate Constitutional Officer or his or her designee, as applicable, the General Counsel shall have authority to compromise and settle the claim. (ii) When the total amount of the settlement, including attorneys' fees and costs, exceeds the sum of $10,000, but does not exceed the sum of $50,000, the Mayor shall have the authority to compromise and settle the claim upon receipt of favorable written recommendations from the General Counsel and upon receiving written approval of the appropriate Constitutional Officer or his or her designee, and either the Director of Finance and Administration or the Chairman of the City Council Finance Committee, that they deem it to be in the best interests of the City to settle the claim or court action. (iii) When the total amount of such settlement, including attorneys' fees and costs, exceeds $50,000, such claim and court or administrative action brought against the City can be settled only by approval of the City Council. (3) The appropriate department head or appropriate Constitutional Officer or his or her designee, with written concurrence of the General Counsel, shall authorize, in writing, the appeal of an adverse ruling against the City. (b) In the event there is no bona fide dispute of a claim, such claim shall be paid when authorized as provided in subsection (a)(2) of this Section, except that claims which are for less than $5,000 may be authorized by the appropriate department head without approval of an Assistant Counsel. In all cases, the authorizing officer shall certify in writing that there is no bona fide dispute as to the City's liability and the amount of the claim. (c) Nothing contained herein shall restrict the normal processing, approval and payment of construction change orders as provided by contract; nor shall the completion of a contract or agreement be restricted by this Section. (Ord. 90-206-208, § 3; Ord. 2016-140-E , § 16; Ord. 2024-45-E , § 1) Editor's note— Ordinance 2007-839-E, § 18, authorized updated department/division names pursuant to reorganization.