Sparks city council to discuss hefty settlement with former fire chief

SPARKS, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — The Sparks city council will discuss and possibly vote on a settlement with its former fire chief during their Monday meeting.

According to the meeting agenda posted online, the council will debate and possibly settle for $381,000 with former chief Mark Lawson.

Lawson's civil attorney Jason Guinasso confirmed to News 4-Fox 11 last week a settlement was reached during mediation with the city.

"A settlement agreement will be presented to the Sparks City Council for approval at an upcoming city council meeting," Guinasso said in a statement. "We cannot make any further comment until the Sparks City Council reviews that settlement agreement."

It comes after multiple attempts to settle the case out of court, including a $600,000 settlement offer rejected by the city council last month.

This was Lawson's third offer to resolve the suit — last February, council members rejected a $441,218 offer to settle. The following month, the council rejected another $170,000 settlement offer and Lawson rejected the city's $100,000 counteroffer.

Lawson had sued the city for wrongful termination and defamation over his firing in late 2022.

Former city manager Neil Krutz asked Lawson to step down from the role of fire chief after less than a week on the job pending 'serious' criminal charges.

Krutz informed Sparks employees of the yet-to-be-filed charges in a since-deleted YouTube video.

It was revealed days later that Lawson was facing multiple drug charges involving steroids. Attorneys representing Lawson said in the wrongful termination and defamation lawsuit that Krutz "chose to act as judge, jury, and executioner" by asking Lawson to resign before knowing what the case entailed.

The felony criminal case against Lawson was dismissed earlier this week because the State was not prepared to go ahead to trial. However, a representative for the Attorney General's office told News 4-Fox 11 they intend to re-file the case.

Monday's meeting will start at 2 p.m. at Sparks City Hall.