BROOKLINE — The Select Board and Gerald Alston have reached an agreement to end the litigation filed by Mr. Alston against the Town of Brookline and other parties.
The $11 million universal settlement is poised to end a painful 11-year saga which deeply harmed Mr. Alston and brought discredit to the Town of Brookline.
The agreement recognizes the harm done to Mr. Alston, starting with the racial slur left on his voicemail by a supervisor in 2010 and the response to that incident in the decade that followed.
This Select Board extends to Mr. Alston our sincere apologies for the Town’s mistakes, and our commitment to seriously address racist and other discriminatory behaviors. We appreciate Mr. Alston’s service to the Town.
Funding of this agreement requires a favorable vote by Town Meeting members at a Special Town Meeting, which the Select Board will be scheduling for Tuesday, October 5th.
Should Town Meeting fail to authorize funding, all parties will return to court where the finances and reputations of the Town and the individual defendants are further at risk, and where the Town will need to expend significant resources at trial.
Should Town Meeting vote favorably on this Warrant Article, this matter will be concluded, and all parties will be able to finally move forward and begin the healing process.
The Select Board believes this settlement is the right thing to do for Mr. Alston and in the best interest of the Town of Brookline, and we urge all Town Meeting Members to support funding it.
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