The City of Santa Rosa has agreed to a $205,000 settlement with former Planning Director Clare Hartman, ending a high-profile wrongful termination lawsuit.
Per the Press Democrat, Hartman, a veteran city employee, was fired in 2023 shortly after seeking medical leave for a mental health crisis; she alleged the city discriminated against her based on gender and disability.
While city officials denied the claims—citing poor job performance and missed deadlines—they chose to settle the case last month to avoid the rising costs of a jury trial.