Lana Sutton talks during a meeting of the Chattanooga Neighborhood Association Council in this file photo.
Former Chattanooga General Services Director Paul PageChattanooga City Council members this week unanimously approved a $75,000 settlement with a former part-time city employee who accused retired Director of General Services Paul Page of sexual harassment.
Former fitness trainer Lana Sutton filed a $350,000 lawsuit in September that claimed Page sexually harassed her. She claimed in the lawsuit that Page threatened her multiple times while she worked at the city gym.
In a hearing March 12, Sutton's attorneys accused the city attorney's office of withholding records requested in the case. That hearing was a prelude to a March 14 meeting that attorneys said could result in a private settlement and not a trial that would be open to the public.
On Tuesday, the city attorney's office asked council members to approve the settlement at the council meeting.
Sutton declined to comment Wednesday. Her attorney didn't return calls seeking comment.
In October 2011, Page retired from the city after months of publicity about a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint filed by Sutton and another female employee. In an August 2011 letter, an EEOC official said the investigation found Page had harassed Sutton and that the city had retaliated against Sutton by moving her from the downtown facility to another city gym in Warner Park.
Staff writer Todd South contributed to this article.
Contact staff writer Joy Lukachick at jlukachick@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.