The City of Ferguson received correspondence from the Department of Justice late Friday, March 4, 2016 concerning the proposed consent decree that was presented to the City.
Ferguson Council members presented seven amendments to the Department of Justice on February 9, 2016; in reference to estimated high cost associated with implementation of the consent decree. The letter from the Department of Justice acknowledges the City’s concerns about cost associated with several provisions in the original proposed settlement agreement between the City and the Department of Justice. It provides assurances that the Department of Justice will work with the City during the implementation phase if certain provisions turn out to be cost prohibitive.
The letter also states that the Department of Justice promises to provide technical assistance, which currently includes some training, at no cost to the City. With the letter containing these assurances from the Department of Justice, Ferguson’s City Council may reconsider whether or not to authorize the proposed settlement on Tuesday, March 8.
If the settlement agreement is approved by Ferguson Council members, the current lawsuit will not be dismissed because the filling of a lawsuit is required to obtain approval of the settlement from a federal judge.