Krugerville will pay out a total of $101,000 in salary in addition to 296 hours of accrued vacation time to former Krugerville Police Department Chief James Edland from August through to Jan. 31.
Edland, whose acceptance of the “consulting and separation pay agreement” triggered his resignation from the role of chief, was retained by the city as a special police adviser through the payout period.
“The city’s early termination of Edland’s Special Police Advisor role, or the city’s refusal to make use of Edland in that role, however, does not reduce or eliminate the city’s obligations to compensate Edland and provide him with the other agreed-upon benefits set forth in the agreement,” the agreement reads, with that passage bolded and italicized.
The document indicates that issues upon which Edland may be asked to consult could include “advice regarding significant crimes such as homicides, fatality accidents, aggravated assaults, and crimes and events of a nature where his expertise and experience may be of benefit to the newly appointed police chief or interim police chief.”
In addition to the salary and vacation time payouts, the city will continue to pay Edland’s health, dental and vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and life insurance, as well as his retirement benefits.
Krugerville will also continue “to carry Edland’s TCOLE commission as full time until Jan. 31,” or until he is employed by another agency.
Also negotiated in the agreement was Edland’s ability to keep the phone and phone number that he used for city busi- ness, with the other items he could keep also clearly delineated.
“Edland shall be allowed, however, to retain his uniform pants, vest, belt and phone charger,” the agreement reads.
Both sides agreed to the standard “release and waiver and covenant not to sue” for anything that happened in advance of the agreement as well as a nondisparagement clause.
“Edland agrees that he will not disparage the city or other releasees in any manner,” the agreement reads. “Edland further agrees that he will not say or do anything that damages or impairs in any way the business organization, goodwill or reputation of the city, its police department, or any of the other released parties.”
It goes on to say that the city agrees to the same, and “that city employees, including police department employees, will be instructed to abide by this paragraph.”
“For purposes of this agreement, ‘disparage’ shall mean any statement, whether truthful or untruthful, made with the intent to (a) maliciously harm the reputation of the other party, (b) undermine public confidence in the other party’s competence, integrity or character, or (c) falsely accuse or insinuate misconduct that would reasonably be seen as damaging to the other party’s public or professional standing,” the agreement says.
Edland and Mayor Pro Tem Kristen Kromer signed the document on Aug. 12.
