Yonkers rules committee schedules four settlement payments totaling $575,941 for next council agenda

The Yonkers City Council Rules Committee on Sept. 9 agreed to place four settlement resolutions totaling $575,941 on next week’s City Council agenda. The items include a $500,000 personal-injury settlement to Sheila McMaster and smaller payouts to three other claimants. The committee did not take a final vote on the settlements at the Rules Committee meeting; staff said the matters will appear on the Sept. 16 council agenda and suggested executive session could be used if additional discussion is needed.

The settlements announced were: $11,941 in a property-damage claim involving Chubb National Insurance (ASO Jason Mitchell); $24,000 in a personal-injury claim to Kevin King; $40,000 in a personal-injury claim to Alicia Yuki; and $500,000 in a personal-injury claim to Sheila McMaster. A staff member notified the committee that each item will be placed on the full council agenda for the Sept. 16 meeting at 4 p.m.; the rules chair confirmed the scheduling.

The Nut Graf: City settlement approvals move through committee before final council action so that council members can review legal and fiscal details on the formal agenda. These payouts, if approved by the full council, would be city expenditures charged against the municipal budget or insurance reserves.

Committee discussion at the Sept. 9 meeting was procedural; the staff member noted that if members wanted further legal briefing, the committee could enter executive session before the items are heard at the full council. No motions or votes on the settlements were recorded at the Rules Committee meeting.

The items will appear on the Yonkers City Council agenda for the meeting scheduled Sept. 16 at 4 p.m.; a public hearing related to MGM Yonkers is scheduled later that evening at 6 p.m., the committee noted.