AUGUSTA — A lawsuit by a former Augusta mayor seeking almost $900,000 in back wages, benefits and loan repayment from his former employer has ended with an undisclosed settlement.
The lawsuit, brought in February by William E. Dowling of Augusta against developer Kevin Mattson and Mattson’s firms: Mattson Construction LLC, Harper’s Development LLC, Central Maine Commerce Center L.P., and Central Maine Commerce Center Inc. and Hallowell House LLC, was dismissed without costs.
There were no details of the settlement included in notice of the lawsuit’s dismissal that was filed in the Kennebec County Superior Court case being handled at the Capital Judicial Center.
Dowling’s attorney, Phillip Johnson, through a clerk in his office, said Monday he was unable to comment on the settlement because it is confidential.
“I’m satisfied with the results and by virtue of the agreement barred from discussing the details,” Dowling said Monday.
Mattson said the parties came to an agreement early, but it took a while for the legal language to be crafted.
“Bill and I never had any personal animosity ever,” Mattson said Monday. “This was much more of a claim against companies he had worked for. I was leader, manager of all these different entities.”
The parties had indicated to a judge on March 31 that a settlement had been reached. However, they sought an extension of the time to file entries indicating so with the court with the most recent deadline on July 10.
Dowling, who was mayor of Augusta from 1999 to 2006 and unsuccessfully sought to regain that seat in November, worked for Mattson from 2002 to 2014 generally as chief operating officer and was issued payroll checks in the names of all those firms, according to details in the initial complaint.
The complaint said Dowling loaned Mattson $88,400 in 2008 to pay bills, an amount that was not fully repaid, and neither was an additional 2012 loan for $28,000.
The complaint said $130,000 was owed in balance and interest as of the end of 2014. It also said Dowling was paid $150,000 per year until 2009, when his salary was reduced to $100,000 with Mattson promising Dowling bonuses as the various companies were leased or sold. The complaint said most of the bonuses were unpaid, and that Dowling last received a bonus payment of nearly $1,400 on Feb. 4, 2015.
The document stipulating the dismissal was signed by Johnson on behalf of Dowling and by attorney Thomas B. Federle for defendants Dirigo Capital Advisors, Mattson Development, Mattson Construction, Harper’s Development, Central Maine Commerce Center Inc. and Hallowell House.
It was signed by attorney Russell F. Pierce for Kevin Mattson and by attorney Stacy O. Stitham for Central Maine Commerce Center LP.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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