Greensburg to amend legal documents after former police chief disputes retirement account

Greensburg will amend its responses to two lawsuits because of concerns by former police chief Walter J. Lyons, who said the documents gave an inaccurate account of his 2016 retirement.

Lyons is not a part of either suit, but he was mentioned in both. Former planning director Barbara Ciampini and former recreation director Frank Lehman simultaneously sued the city, alleging they were fired because of age discrimination. Both lawsuits said Lyons is one of several longtime employees who left the city or were fired in recent years. The suits say Mayor Robert Bell forced Lyons out of the department.

The city’s official responses say that Bell “informed Walter Lyons that he was not going to retain him as police chief” because of morale issues in the department and that Lyons “chose to retire rather than returning to his previous position as lieutenant.”

Lyons said he takes issue with that last part because, he says, demotion to lieutenant was never presented as an option. His discussion with Bell came shortly after the mayor took office, he said.

“The mayor walked into my office, came in and sat down on the chair and said to me, ‘I’d like to have your resignation. I’d like you to retire,’ ” Lyons said.

Lyons said he told the mayor he was planning to retire soon but wanted to stay awhile longer. Numerous officers had recently retired, and Lyons said he wanted to stick around until the gaps were filled.

After some back-and-forth, Bell insisted Lyons resign right away, the former chief said.

“There was never, ever a discussion about ‘If you don’t retire, I’m going to demote you,’ ” Lyons said.

Under Lyons’ contract, he could have remained as a lieutenant rather than leave the department, but he and Bell never talked about that option, he said.

Lyons left the department in January 2016. He said he received about $70,000 in severance pay.

He addressed city council Monday with his concerns about the court documents.

Bell said the city will ask its lawyers to resubmit its response to the lawsuits, amending the section about Lyons choosing not to stay on as lieutenant.

The phrasing that Lyons “chose to retire rather than returning to his previous position as lieutenant” was in reference to the option in Lyons’ contract but could create an inaccurate impression of the event, Bell said.

“Wally was an outstanding chief,” Bell said.

Lyons said he’s pleased the city will change the documents.

“I’m happy that the city has acknowledged that the filing regarding myself was inaccurate, and there was no demotion every considered,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, the matter has been resolved.”

Lehman and Ciampini’s lawsuits are pending.

Court-mandated alternative dispute resolution is expected to begin within the next few months and, if both sides fail to reach a compromise, the cases could eventually go to court.