Newcastle has received $40,000 as the result of the settlement of its lawsuit against the Bath firm Pine Tree Engineering Inc.
Patrick Parson, the attorney representing Newcastle, provided copies of the settlement agreement and related correspondence in response to a Freedom of Access request from The Lincoln County News.
Pine Tree Engineering paid the amount in two installments, on Nov. 7 and 17, according to correspondence between Rebecca Farnum, the attorney representing Pine Tree Engineering, and Parson.
The settlement agreement forbids the Newcastle Board of Selectmen, Newcastle Town Administrator Ron Grenier and Parson from discussing the matter with the press.
Newcastle brought the lawsuit, a professional malpractice action, March 15, alleging that Pine Tree’s negligence in the design and construction of the Lynch Road Bridge led to the bridge’s failure during a storm less than two years later.
The town paid Pine Tree about $90,000 for the job. Last year, the town paid another contractor to replace the bridge again at a cost of approximately $100,000.
Pine Tree, in answering the complaint, asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit and filed a counterclaim against Newcastle alleging partial non-payment for services, a claim the town denied.
The parties entered mediation in the spring.
