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The Board of Mayor and Aldermen let a request to make a settlement offer in a federal civil case filed by Casta Brice go dead during a June Special Call meeting.

City Administrator Jason Quick requested the board to authorize the submission of “one or more Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 68 Offers of Judgement” to Brice, the former City Human Resources Director, who is currently suing the city in a federal court for racial discrimination, “extreme retaliation” and economic and non-economic damages in the amount of $5 million.

Brice’s lawyer, Justin Gilbert, claims in the lawsuit in an extensive timeline starting in 2020, that Brice was subject to retaliation from Alderman Kurt Glick during his time as Director of the Parks and Recreation department and ended with her being placed on administrative leave in February 2023.

Following her administrative leave on Feb. 21, the suit details how Brice stayed on leave until Quick issued a letter to her on Sept. 29, stating that the position of Human Resources Director would be eliminated, effectively ending her employment with the city.

According to Quick’s memo request, “The attorney engaged by the city’s liability carrier to represent and defend the city has recommended that the City of Tullahoma authorize the City Administrator to submit one or more Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 68 Offer of Judgment.”

Per the memo, because of the process of litigation “is expected to be extensive and uncertain,” the Rule 68 offer could potentially resolve the lawsuit and “eliminate the uncertainties and risk associated with continued litigation.”

The memo further states that even if the offer is not accepted, the Rule 68 offer “is a mechanism that has the potential to aid the city’s defense of the case as litigation continues in the coming months or years.”

The memo also states that the funds for the Rule 68 offer would be payable through the city’s insurance policy.

When Mayor Ray Knowis called for a motion, there was a long pause where none of the board members present (Aldermen Jenna Amacher and Kurt Glick were not present) made any move for motion. Knowis then made a motion, but there was no second. Knowis ruled the motion as dead, and the meeting was closed.