King had previously filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the township
Former township administrator and director of public safety Michael “Mickey” King will be paid $156,000 as part of an agreement to settle a whistleblower lawsuit he filed against Cinnaminson Township last month.
King is no longer employed by the township and has agreed not to seek further employment with the municipality, according to the settlement agreement, which was acquired last week by The Cinnaminson Sun through an open records request.
In settling the lawsuit, Cinnaminson Township denied any wrongdoing relating to King’s allegations.
King will not be paid any further salary, sick time or other employment compensation as part of the agreement.
Mayor Howard “Bud” Evans read a statement announcing the settlement during Township Committee’s May 21 meeting.
“The Township Committee has acted to approve this settlement, which resolves all existing issues between Mr. King and the Township,” Evans said.
“As part of that settlement, Mr. King and Cinnaminson Township have mutually agreed that King’s employment relationship with Cinnaminson is concluded, and that King will not seek employment or reinstatement with, apply for future employment or otherwise obtain employment, apply for any position or seek appointment to any position, with Cinnaminson, or any board or authority of Cinnaminson at any time in the future,” he continued.
“Upon the advice of counsel, there will be no further statements issued regarding either Mr. King or the conclusion of the litigation,” Evans added.
King’s attorney, Patricia Barasch, confirmed the settlement with the township.
“We are pleased with the outcome and believe that the resolution is in everyone’s best interest,” she said in an email. “Mr. King is very much looking forward to pursuing other endeavors now that he has retired from Cinnaminson Township.”
Township Committee approved a resolution authorizing the settlement and appointed Chief Financial Officer Julia Edmondson as acting township administrator.
King initially filed the lawsuit last month in Superior Court. In the complaint, he alleged township officials suspended him and intended to fire him for cooperating with law enforcement agencies on several investigations.
King was seeking to keep his job and receive monetary compensation for damages, according to the lawsuit.
Township officials denied King’s claims shortly after the lawsuit was filed.
One of the investigations cited in King’s complaint was an ethics probe into Deputy Mayor Donald Brauckmann. Last year, Township Committee referred an internal investigation into Brauckmann to the state Department of Community Affairs and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
Brauckmann said during the May 21 meeting that he recently asked his attorney to check with authorities on the status of the investigation.
“They advised that my matter’s closed,” Brauckmann said. “I want the public to know that, the newspapers to know that, it’s no longer an ongoing investigation.”
Brauckmann recused himself from the vote to authorize the settlement agreement with King.
Resident Ken Miller criticized Township Committee’s decision on April 16 to postpone a decision on King’s employment. During the May 21 meeting, he praised the Committee’s move to resolve the issue.
“Thank you for finally flushing the director out of this town,” Miller told Township Committee. “It’s a shame you guys can’t talk about what really happened.”
