City of Billings Ordered to Pay Police

The city of Billings was ordered to pay Billings Police Department employees nearly three million dollars in compensation for back wages, as a result of a lawsuit filed by officers in 2009.  The issue prompted a closed executive session at City Hall on Monday.  District Court Judge Brenda Gilbert ordered last week that the city pay $2.7M to officers, an amount based upon approximately $1M in unpaid wages combined with over $1M in outstanding legal fees, penalties, and other costs as a result of the 2009 lawsuit.
City Administrator Tina Volek said the city wants to appeal Gilbert’s order, saying that, while the city supports officers be paid longevity beginning on their first day of employment, they feel that errors in both fact and law were made in the decision.  Following Monday’s closed executive session, City Attorney Brent Brooks said the council hasn’t made any decisions regarding the lawsuit.