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Newberg School Board approves settlement in Woolsey lawsuit, district to pay $55,788
Summary
The Newberg School District Board of Directors approved a settlement in Woolsey et al. v. Newberg School District et al., agreeing to a $55,788 payment by the district and a separate payment from individual defendants that will extinguish a prior judgment against them.
The Newberg School District 29J Board of Directors voted Jan. 14 to approve a settlement in Woolsey et al. v. Newberg School District et al., resolving litigation filed as Case No. 21-CV-41198.
The settlement, moved and presented during the meeting and read into the record by legal counsel, will require the district to pay plaintiffs $55,788. The agreement also requires the individual defendants to pay the district the amount of an existing $27,894 judgment within 10 days after the district pays the plaintiffs; the district will file satisfaction of that judgment once payment is received. The district and the plaintiffs will mutually release claims arising from the matters in the lawsuit, and judicial proceedings will be dismissed.
Why it matters: the settlement ends active litigation that has drawn community attention and expense for the district and individual defendants. Board Chair Deb Bridges presided over the vote. Director DeHart identified a conflict of interest and abstained from voting; the board recorded a roll call of five aye votes and one abstention, and the motion carried.
Discussion and vote: legal counsel explained the settlement terms and noted the board chair would be authorized to sign the agreement with minor technical edits as needed in consultation with counsel. A formal roll call recorded Aubrey Nichols, Nancy Woodward, Deb Bridges, Saul Allen and Jeremy Hayden voting aye. DeHart abstained because of a conflict. The board did not discuss alternate settlement amounts on the record; the agreement’s payment amounts and mutual releases were read as part of the motion.
Context and next steps: the motion directs the chair to finalize the document in coordination with legal counsel and directs staff to file the dismissal in court after the payments and releases are exchanged. The board did not authorize additional public action beyond signing and filing the settlement documents.
Ending: With the vote the board closed this chapter of litigation; the settlement language in the motion instructs staff and counsel on timing and filing steps needed to complete the dismissal and satisfaction of the outstanding judgment.
