Joplin Schools Settle Tornado Debris Lawsuit

The Joplin School District has settled a $2.2 million lawsuit filed by a demolition company that cleared debris from three schools damaged in the May 2011 tornado.

The Joplin Globe reports that federal court records show the lawsuit was settled for $276,000.

Urban Metropolitan of Atlanta, Ga., alleged in the lawsuit that it was required to do work not included in the original contract, and that the district discriminated against the company because it is minority-owned.

The district fired Urban Metropolitan a year ago, citing performance issues.

In December, state forgery charges were filed against the company and its project manager for alleged failure to pay prevailing wage.

Jasper County Prosecutor Dean Dankelson said Tuesday that the lawsuit settlement will not affect the criminal charges.