LIHUE, Kauai — The Kauai County Council has agreed to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by one of its members, Councilman Tim Bynum.
The Garden Island newspaper reports the council voted 4-2 on Friday to accept a $290,000 settlement reached by the county’s insurance carrier.
The case dates to 2012, when Bynum filed the lawsuit in federal court. The suit named the county, Supervising Planning Inspector Sheila Miyake and former Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho in their individual and professional capacities.
Bynum alleged the two officials violated his civil rights when they investigated and prosecuted him for zoning law violations at home.
Most council members would rather put the case behind them than spend more taxpayer money, but others say a payout would set a chilling precedent and encourage more lawsuits.