DANBURY -- The city has upped the ante in its attempt to get former longtime finance director David St. Hilaire to drop his lawsuit accusing Danbury of firing him without cause and refusing to honor a retirement deal when St. Hilaire agreed to resign in 2022.
Danbury has offered St. Hilaire $325,000 to settle the suit, a $200,000 hike from the settlement offer presented to him earlier this year.
"This offer ... will resolve all claims against the city of Danbury," said a two-paragraph "Offer of Compromise" filed by city attorney Taylor La Pira in state Superior Court.
Attorney Elisabeth Maurer, who represents St. Hilaire, would not comment on the latest settlement attempt.
Chief of Staff Taylor O'Brien would not comment on the pending litigation.
"Mayor (Roberto) Alves took office after this case had begun, and at the advice of legal counsel, is ensuring that all decisions made are what is best for the city and its residents," O'Brien said.
The city's latest settlement offer is the newest development in a case that began when the city accused St. Hilaire of receiving an improper payout of $350,000 in unused vacation time -- an accusation St. Hilaire denies.
The city's accusation about St. Hilaire's vacation payout and a city accusation that he did not work enough in-person time during the COVID-19 pandemic led the two sides to negotiate a retirement agreement in 2022 that called for the resignation on Halloween in return for three months of salary, health insurance coverage, $80,000 in vacation pay and other benefits.
St. Hilaire upheld his end of the agreement by resigning, but the city didn't hold up its end of the agreement, he says.
"The city breached the material provisions of the (retirement agreement) by revoking its offer based on its need to investigate a tax lien," St. Hilaire claims in a lawsuit he filed against Danbury in 2024. "No such investigation has been completed, nor has the city adopted or reaffirmed its obligations under the (retirement agreement)."
The city's latest offer to settle with St. Hilaire follows the city's request in November to have part of the lawsuit thrown out of court because he "was not terminated, but rather voluntarily resigned following negotiations with the city."
St. Hilaire's attorney responded in court papers that the resignation "was required by the (retirement) agreement that the city later repudiated."
"The city should not be allowed to retain the benefit of the settlement agreement, including St. Hilaire's separation from employment, while depriving St. Hilaire of the benefits for which he bargained," wrote Maurer.