VILLA HILLS — Four months after they were fired by former Mayor Steve Clark, Police Chief Michael “Corky” Brown and City Clerk Sue Kramer have settled their “whistleblower” lawsuits against the city for less than $150,000.

        As part of the settlement reached in mediation, the two veteran employees will not pursue any litigation against the city of Villa Hills. There also was no admission of liability by former Mayor Steve Clark.

        Lawyers on both sides said the lawsuits potentially could have cost the city millions, and exceeded its maximum insurance coverage, had the case gone to a jury.

        “I, as the city attorney, am very relieved with how it came out,” interim City Attorney Mike Duncan said Friday. While Villa Hills had $1 million coverage on each plaintiff, “you never know what may happen when a jury gets a case,” he said.

        The city's insurance carrier will pay Mr. Brown $99,000, and Mrs. Kramer will get $49,000, Villa Hills Mayor Mike Sadouskas said.

        “I think my clients could have received much more money than they ultimately received, but they, too, wanted this to end,” said their lawyer, Stephen Wolnitzek.

        The settlements compensate the two for back pay, health insurance, attorney fees and the resolution of retirement issues on the part of Mr. Brown.

        “I think the fact that Corky and Sue settled for those amounts, as opposed to pursuing lawsuits with very big damages, is a credit to them,” Mr. Sadouskas said. “They wanted their jobs back, and they deserve to be made whole.”

        Chief Brown and Mrs. Kramer were reinstated in their city jobs March 28, the day after they sued Mr. Clark. Their lawsuits were filed under Kentucky's Whistleblower Act, which prohibits retaliation against public employees who disclose wrongdoing.

        On Dec. 28, Mr. Clark announced he had fired Chief Brown and Mrs. Kramer, who is the wife of Councilman Bob Kramer. He gave no reason for their dismissals, and under state law, he was not required to.

        However, in lawsuits filed March 27, the two employees said they were fired because of their roles in investigations involving the former mayor.

        Mr. Clark resigned as mayor March 9, after weeks of public and legal pressure. Much of the public anger toward Mr. Clark was over his firing of Mr. Brown, who had held his job 17 years, and Mrs. Kramer, who had worked for the city in various jobs since 1986.

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