Village seeks to avoid trial with new offer in legal battle over health care benefits

KALKASKA – Officials with the Village of Kalkaska are hoping that a late, last-ditch offer might lead to a settlement and soon end the legal war between the Kalkaska Village Council and a handful of current and former employees over lifetime health benefits that has already lasted more than three years.

Village President Jeff Sieting said a settlement offer by the village and its legal representatives Monday, Nov. 20, led to an “unplanned, ad-hoc pretrial conference” with 47^th Circuit Court Judge George Mertz and attorneys for three plaintiffs, as well as to the scheduling of a special council meeting slated for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

“We called a special meeting,” Sieting said. “There have been some changes.”

According to Sieting, the village’s latest offer was a response to learning that the plaintiffs, who include former village manager/police chief Melvin Hill, William Ramsey and Helen Chew-Artress, the only current employee involved in the legal battle, were seeking about $2.2 million in damages.

“We’re not paying $2.2 million,” Sieting said. “We can’t pay it. We just can’t pay it.”

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