CEC settles sexual harassment suit

CORDOVA (AP) -- Cordova Electric Corp. has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit by agreeing to pay the plaintiff $180,000.

The 1998 suit was brought by former employee Jeff Poehler who is a homosexual. Poehler alleged he had been sexually harassed and assaulted by Jim Roberts, the corporation's general manager at the time.

Executive Director Ken Gates said last week that the settlement is not expected to affect the cooperative's rates or what it will pay for insurance.

During Roberts' videotaped deposition, he invoked his Constitutional right not to incriminate himself 18 times.

The lawsuit brought the cooperative's management policies under public scrutiny.

''We've made a lot of changes at this utility because of this case,'' Gates said. ''The rules prohibiting sexual harassment have always been there. It's just that sometimes they are not followed.''