City Reaches Tentative Agreement With Filner on Sexual Harassment Suit

San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith announced Wednesday that all parties
involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Mayor Bob Filner have
reached a tentative agreement.

The agreement was reached following three days of mediation involving attorneys for embattled Mayor Bob Filner and other city officials, but Goldsmith did not provide details.

The City Council, which has not heard the proposal, will review the proposed settlement in its closed session meeting at 1 p.m. Friday, but may report out the actions during an open session meeting immediately after, Goldsmith said.

Goldsmith said the tentative agreement would be kept confidential until after Friday's meeting, and "any rumors you hear about the proposal you may deem to by untrue."

The mediation took place in a downtown high-rise. The participants included Filner, Goldsmith, City Council President Todd Gloria and Councilman Kevin Faulconer.

While sessions Monday and Tuesday began in the morning, today's meeting didn't begin until mid-afternoon.

Filner today made his first appearance at the City Administration Building in more than three weeks, prior to the resumption of mediation.

While the mayor's office declined comment over whether Filner was present at City Hall, his departure to go to the negotiating session was captured by television news crews.

Filner's last public appearance was a July 26 news conference in which he announced he would enter an inpatient behavioral therapy program. Some witnesses reported seeing him at City Hall four days later.