By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


A federal lawsuit filed against the Village of Milford by a former employee has been settled out of court.

Michael Esson, the Village’s former assistant public services director, filed suit in 2019 alleging violations of Michigan’s Whistleblower Protection Act, extortion, retaliation, racketeering, freedom of speech issues and violations of due process. Esson claimed he was fired after alerting village officials that former Public Services Director Robert Calley would only approve his vacation requests for side jobs in exchange for a portion of his earnings.

A State Police investigation determined the allegations were not credible. However, court records show that the case was dismissed on December 7th as, “the parties have approved a proposed settlement.” Details on the terms of the settlement were not released and emails sent to Milford Village Manager Christian Wuerth and Esson’s attorney were not returned.

Calley, who retired from his position in February after 26 years with the village, is also named in another lawsuit by former maintenance employee Corey LeMarbe. He alleges violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as a hostile work environment. That case is currently set for trial in May of 2021.