Former city hall attorney gets paid big for getting fired

More than a quarter million dollars the total payout
for a former La Crosse city employee, fired nearly four years ago.  

The city council on Thursday night agreed to a $260,000 settlement with Pete Kisken, who worked for the city for 20 years before getting fired in 2013.  

Nearly $200,000 of the settlement will be covered by the city’s insurer. The rest paid by city funds.

Among the conditions for the settlement: Kisken can’t work for the city ever again, neither side can comment on it and Kisken’s “termination” has been changed to a “resignation.”  

Kisken was fired after a lengthy investigation uncovered a long list of performance violations, including carrying on a sexual relationship with another city employee while at work.  

He was on paid administrative leave for about a year before getting fired. During that time he collected nearly $70,000 in pay.  

Kisken had sued the city for wrongful termination. But one of the conditions of the settlement is that the city admits no wrongdoing.

Part of the rationale for the settlement was to limit any further cost of litigation in the case.