The Craig City Council unanimously approved Tuesday night a resolution allowing the city to enter into a settlement agreement with Glen Stinson on the Estey-Simpson property.

Councilors Bill Johnston and Carl Chapman did not attend the meeting, but others wanted to support the decision on the record.

“We’ve done the risk analysis to determine if we win, do we really win? And if we lose, what do we stand to lose,” City Manager Jim Ferree said.

Councilor Don Jones called the lawsuit a lose, lose situation and said it was in the city’s best interests to settle.

The settlement agreement calls for the city to sell Stinson the Estey-Simpson property for the original contract price of $176,500 and for the city to pay $60,000 of his approximately $95,000 in attorneys fees.

Stinson bid to purchase the property in 1997 and the council at that time changed their minds about the sale. He sued the city for breach of contract.

Councilors contend that it would cost the city more to go to trial and win the case than it would to settle it now.

It was estimated the city could spend another $80,000 in attorney fees if the conse continues.