Defamation case settled for $25,000

Former city Airport Manager Fred Leistiko has reached a settlement with Kalispell City Council member Phil Guiffrida in a slander and defamation lawsuit that began 19 months ago.

Both sides have confirmed the $25,000 settlement that will be paid to Leistiko by the city’s insurance carrier. Guiffrida’s attorney was provided by the insurance company.

Leistiko’s attorney in this case was his wife, Connie Leistiko. She said Friday that they have not yet filed to dismiss the case, though the terms have been settled.

“We have reached an agreement, but everything is not finalized,” she said.

The settlement was reached this month.

Guiffrida said that he felt that he would have won in a trial, but the insurance company chose this route to avoid a potentially costly proceeding.

“It just came down to economics and business,” he said.

Leistiko claimed that Guiffrida made false and damaging statements against him in an email sent to various city officials in 2013 during the debate over airport expansion. Leistiko sued in October of that year, alleging that Guiffrida acted as a private citizen in this situation.

Guiffrida’s emails claimed, among other things, that Leistiko inflated landing and takeoff figures in reports to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The city of Kalispell was not directly involved in the civil lawsuit. The insurance company took over the defense and subsequent settlement because Guiffrida could potentially have been found to be acting in a public capacity when he sent the emails.

A complete record of the proceedings should be available to the public in the coming days, according to Guiffrida. He said that he declined to keep the documents confidential.

Connie Leistiko also said that she and her husband had “no reservations” about the records becoming public.

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.