Appeals Court Rules In Defiance Case

An appeals court has returned a split deci­sion in a law­suit filed by two Defi­ance city coun­cil­men seek­ing reim­burse­ment for health care ben­e­fits.

Three judges of the Third Dis­trict Court of Appeals affirmed part of a rul­ing handed down in Defi­ance County Com­mon Pleas Court in favor of Defi­ance city offi­cials in defend­ing suits filed by Coun­cil Pres­i­dent Tim Holts­berry and for­mer At-large Coun­cil­man Steve Hub­bard, but reversed other parts.

While affirm­ing that Hub­bard and Holts­berry were not enti­tled to com­pen­sa­tion in the period after Jan. 1, 2008, the appeals court ruled that they were enti­tled to health insur­ance ben­e­fits in 2007.

The appeals court’s deci­sion now enti­tles Hub­bard to receive $13,815 in reim­burse­ment to join the city’s health insur­ance plan in 2007. Holts­berry is enti­tled to a like amount.