Kendall settles harassment suit against deputy


May 18, 2010
By STEVE LORD slord@stmedianetwork.com

YORKVILLE — The Kendall County Board Tuesday approved a $188,000 settlement of a
2-year-old sexual harassment lawsuit against Terry Tichava, the chief deputy in
the Kendall County Sheriff's Department.

The board approved the payment to Lisa Easi, who spent nearly 20 years in the
Sheriff's Department and was Tichava's secretary when she was fired in 2006.

Easi filed the lawsuit against Tichava and Sheriff Richard Randall in 2008.
As part of the settlement, Randall will be dropped as a defendant.

The county actually will pay only $10,000 of the settlement, with its insurance
carrier picking up the rest of the cost, including both the plaintiff's and the
county's legal fees.

State's Attorney Eric Weiss said Easi's attorneys agreed to the settlement late
Monday night.

Weiss said in agreeing to the settlement of the lawsuit, which was in the
pre-trial stage in the Northern District Federal Court, the county is not taking
the "gamble" that it would cost even more if the case went to trial.

"You have to look at the cost-benefit analysis," Weiss said.

He told County Board members the insurance company recommended the settlement.

Board members' faces were grim and their voices quiet Tuesday morning as they
voted for the settlement after an almost hour-long closed session to discuss it.

"It's just disappointing," said board member Nancy Martin.

Beyond that, no one in connection with the case would comment, including Randall.
When asked if the outcome of the lawsuit would affect Tichava's employment with
the sheriff's office, Randall also declined comment, as did board members.