Quinter's father barred from attending son's games results in $75,000 settlement

QUINTER, Kan. (KWCH) – A western Kansas father’s ban on attending his son’s games results in a $75,000 settlement paid by the city of Quinter.

For about three years, Tim Clark has been in conflict with Quinter city officials over interactions with coaches and a Facebook post in which Clark expressed his frustrations, accusing coaches of favoritism.

“It was the next day, I think, that they had a parent-coach meeting at city hall. I didn’t know this was my lifetime ban for a Facebook post. Otherwise, I would have showed up,” Clark said.

A letter presented to Clark stated that he had violated the ethics of Quinter’s recreational program, adding: “Effective now, you are permanently prohibited from attending any Quinter recreational activities.” »

“I felt like I was being played a joke because that’s literally all that happened,” Clark said.

Threatening to take legal action, lawyer Max Kautsch took up the case.

“He told me his story and, most importantly, he showed me an audio recording of what happened to him on October 20, 2022, at which time he was on public property and was threatened with arrest if he did not leave public property. he was there,” Kautsch said.

Clark, recording the incident on his phone, captured then-Quinter City Administrator Greg Thomas calling Clark “the problem in the community.”

“I want to know what your problem is with me, sir. What is that?” Clark is heard saying on the recording.

“It’s not my problem with you, it’s the community’s problem with you,” Thomas responded.

Clark then asked what the community’s problem was with him.

“Oh man, oh my God, we’re not going to bring that up,” Thomas responded.

Kautsch explained how labeling Clark as “the community’s problem” took hold.

“It really sums up the idea that policymakers did not agree with Tim’s views and therefore any regulations they imposed on him were aimed at him and likely violated the constitution,” he said. Kautsch said.

A detailed legal complaint of more than 160 paragraphs alleging First Amendment retaliation was presented to the Quinter City Attorney. Ultimately, the city lifted the ban in September and the parties settled the dispute in October for $75,000 before the suit was filed in court.

“I think a settlement of this magnitude is, in its own way, a kind of apology,” Clark said. “I hope it changes the culture and they think twice about it next year.”

12 News reached out to Quinter’s mayor but did not receive a response as of Thursday evening.