Beniston asks judge to make mayor approve settlement

YOUNGSTOWN — A city employee filed a motion that asks a judge to compel the mayor of Youngstown to approve a settlement agreement or hold him in contempt of court.

Abigail Beniston filed a lawsuit in May to remain as the city’s wastewater construction engineer after Mayor Jamael Tito Brown ordered her to vacate the job and become a code enforcement inspector, which would have reduced her salary from $60,757 to $39,000.

Beniston and the city appeared to reach an agreement, approved by council and the board of control earlier this month, to dismiss the lawsuit and employ her as a wastewater construction coordinator at $52,805.50.

The motion filed Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court claims the mayor has yet to sign off on the settlement.

“Moreover, he is unable to point to any reason whatsoever why he would be prevented from placing a pen on a piece of paper and signing his name,” the lawsuit states.

A motion hearing is set for Sept. 11 before visiting Judge Thomas J. Pokorny.