June 21--A former Orange Township firefighter who won a sexual-harassment lawsuit against the township this year has reached a tentative settlement that would give her a cash payout and return her to work as a firefighter.
The agreement between Raechel Sterud and the Delaware County township is not final, Sterud's attorney said yesterday, but court papers show that the two sides plan to file their settlement agreement within the next two months.
Sterud, 32, sued Orange Township and her supervisor, fire Lt. Keith Myers, in 2010, claiming she had been discriminated against and ultimately fired because of her gender. A Franklin County jury agreed in March, awarding her more than $1.7 million. Orange Township was to pay Sterud $1.67 million; Myers was to pay her $75,000.
Daniel Mordarski, her attorney, said yesterday that, under the tentative agreement, Sterud would receive less than what the jury recommended. The settlement, he said, restores Sterud to her job as an Orange Township firefighter.
"From day one, she's said all she's ever wanted to be since she was 17 years old was to be a firefighter," he said. "It wasn't a made-up story; that's truly all she's wanted to be."
Robert Quigley, Orange Township board of trustees chairman, said he could not comment about the settlement. Quigley said the township's trustees would have to vote on any agreement before it became final.
@larenschield
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