WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Warner Robins city officials say they plan to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit over a controversial housing project.
Mayor LaRhonda Patrick says the city council voted Tuesday to approve the settlement. Federal court records online say both sides told the federal judge that they've reached a deal and plan to dismiss the case.
According to Patrick, the settlement would not come directly from tax payers but instead from the city's insurance company.
"With the $50,000, we were able to make a $15 million lawsuit go away, so we were very excited about that," Patrick.
Woda Cooper Development and three other companies sued the city four years ago, claiming city officials rejected a 90-unit low-income project at Perkins Field due to racial bias.
But a judge said there's no evidence of that, and he'd already dismissed most of the case.
Patrick says coming into the mayoral position, her goal was to make the lawsuits go away, in the best way for the city and its taxpayers. But, they still have another case pending.
"We are now waiting to see what the appellate court says on the appeal that’s in place," she said.
We contacted Macon lawyer Robert Shoemaker who is listed as one of the attorneys for those companies. He has not responded.
Patrick says the city does see the need for more affordable housing.
She says she recently talked to generals and commanders on the base who have expressed the need of affordable housing and workforce housing for their base members.
She hopes that more people in the private sector will understand the need for lower prices when setting prices.