Ex-employees drop suit against city

BENTONVILLE — Two former employees of Cave Springs requested their federal lawsuit against the city and some city officials be dropped.

Nathan Coy and Jaci Hawkins filed the lawsuit in February 2017 against Kimberly Hutcheson, treasurer/ recorder, and City Council members Charles Lindley, Mary Ann Winters, Rick Sayer, Larry Fletcher and Randall Noblett.

The lawsuit claims Hutcheson and the City Council opposed or attacked city employees they believed to be in support of Mayor Travis Lee, including Coy and Hawkins. Coy openly campaigned for Lee during the 2014 mayoral campaign, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit also alleges Hutcheson wanted to get Coy fired because of his Hispanic heritage.

Fayetteville attorney Joshua Bailey, who represents Coy and Hawkins, didn’t return a telephone call or email seeking comment Monday afternoon.

Jenna Adams, the attorney for the city and council members, informed them in a letter dated April 20 Coy and Hawkins had requested that the case be non-suited, which means the case is dismissed. They have one year to refile the lawsuit.

Each party in the lawsuit will be responsible for its own costs and fees, according to court documents.

“The city and its officials are glad to have the case terminated and have no reason to anticipate that it will be refiled,” Lee said.

The City Council voted in March against settling or negotiating to resolve the lawsuit. The settlement called for Coy and Hawkins to each receive $75,000, according to Lee.

Coy was a Cave Springs police officer, and Hawkins was a deputy recorder/treasurer.

The case was filed in Benton County Circuit Court and later transferred to federal court.