3.10.050 Authority to Settle Claims.
(1) Reports of the City’s investigators’ minutes or recommendations and any writings made a part of the investigatory stage of any claim are hereby declared to be a part of the work product of the City Attorney’s Office and shall not be discoverable.
(2) All decisions on claims will be deemed decisions of the office of Mayor.
(3) The Legal Office/Risk Manager will determine if the loss is covered by insurance. If so, a claim will be filed with the appropriate insurance carrier and/or the agent of the carrier. The filing of an insurance claim does not indicate an admission of guilt or responsibility on the part of the City or any employee or official thereof.
(4) The following schedule shall be used in determining the delegation of authority for settling various classes of claims through financial reimbursement or compensation:
(a) Private property claims with a value of up to seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) may be settled by the responsible Department/Office with notification to the City Attorney’s Office. Personal injury or bodily injury claims will not be settled within a Department/Office.
(b) Any type of claim with a value between seven hundred fifty dollars and one cent ($750.01) and twelve thousand dollars ($12,000.00) may be settled by the Legal Office. If circumstances warrant, however, claims in this class may be referred to the Chief Administrative Officer for a recommendation.
(c) Any type of claim with a value over twelve thousand dollars ($12,000.00) shall be reviewed by the Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Administrative Services and a recommendation for settlement shall be submitted to the Mayor for approval.
(d) On July 1, 2025, and on July 1 every five (5) years thereafter, the dollar amounts in this Section shall automatically adjust for inflation by reference to the immediately preceding five (5) year actual percentage change in Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. city average as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each resulting dollar amount after this calculation will then be rounded to the nearest one hundred dollars ($100.00).
(5) The Mayor or the Mayor’s designee shall submit a written semiannual report of settled claims.