What you need to know about Ty Lewis’ settlement with Paso Robles

February 6, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

A week after Paso Robles announced Ty Lewis had resigned his position as city manager, the city released a more than $365,000 settlement agreement that discloses Lewis’ mental heath diagnosis.

Lewis filed his claim on Aug. 16, 2024 seeking $2.275 million against the city for harassment and allowing a hostile work environment. He said that Councilman Bausch and others, including a CalCoastNews reporter, had conspired against him.

After initially supporting the claim, the Paso Robles City Council sent it to its insurance carrier, which denied the claim on Sept. 26, 2024.

Lewis stepped down on Jan. 26 with a settlement agreement, less than three days after his primary witness refuted his claims of a conspiracy against him on a local radio show.

The Paso Robles City Council voted 4-1 on Jan. 27 with Councilman Bausch dissenting to approve the settlement agreement.

According to the recently released settlement agreement, the city denies that either the city or Bausch had any fault or liability. However, in order to “buy its peace,” the city wished to resolve all allegations, according to the agreement.

In the agreement, Lewis agrees that neither the city not Bausch has any liability. However, he now claims a preexisting mental health issue from his time as a law enforcement officer.

In exchange for the promises and releases made in the agreement, the city will pay Lewis $365,954 with $200,000 as a settlement payment, and the remainder as six months of wages and COBRA, as well as administrative time and legal fees.

The $200,000 settlement is characterized as compensation for injuries incurred. Lewis claims personal physical injuries or physical sickness regarding a “work related hospitalization on May 7, 2024,” following a city council meeting in which he left in an ambulance. Lewis reported he also suffered skin lesions, stomach sickness, headaches, insomnia and more.

Lewis says he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from his time in law enforcement that was exacerbated on May 7, during a meeting in which the council decided to cancel the paid parking program Lewis had championed.

Both Lewis, Bausch and a representative of the city signed a mutual non-disparage agreement which bars them from making any false, defamatory or disparaging statements about the other parties.

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