Ninnekah shocked after $7.5 million settlement
NINNEKAH, Okla. (KFOR)— Another settlement and another Oklahoma rural community are struggling to figure out how to pay, this time in Ninnekah.
A judge in federal court ruled that Ninnekah School District would have to pay $7.5 million after a settlement was reached with several victims.
The case stemmed from Ronald Akins, a former long-time girls basketball coach who was arrested years ago for grooming and sexual assault.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ninnekah Public Schools reach settlement in sexual assault lawsuit
“I’m pissed,” yelled one woman who has lived in Ninnekah most of her life.
The concern from many was how they were going to pay up.
Kingfisher School District has been used as a comparison, as it was the latest district to settle, and had been the largest amount via civil court in the state. Now, that goes to Ninnekah.
On Wednesday Kingfisher taxpayers and leaders met at a Kingfisher County Excise Board meeting where frustrations were given regarding a new property owner tax.
The outcry comes over a $5 million settlement of a football hazing lawsuit where property owners in Kingfisher school district are mad that they’re being told their taxes will go up for three years to pay $3.75 million of the settlement. Estimates came in that the increase could be as much as 12%.
Kingfisher wasn’t insured, so much of the cost ended up being pushed towards taxpayers.
“Knowing what happened in Kingfisher and now hearing the settlement last night here, I know that we’re not flush with millions of dollars of cash,” said Robert Helms, who moved to Ninnekah four years ago.
Ninnekah would be forced to pay $1.5 million in the next 90 days and then $6 million in the next three years plus interest, possibly $2 million a year.
News 4 was told that $1 million is to be paid through insurance and $500,000 would come from the school’s general fund which, according to documents, would be much of their already dwindled general fund.
“I guess I don’t understand why Ninnekah has to pay for something that somebody else has done,” said Ricky Austin, who has lived in Ninnekah for most of his life.
It’s unsure how the district would go about paying for the rest of the payment.
A state audit from 2022 discussed what would happen in this exact lawsuit if the school lost and stated that, “In the event that a possible loss would be in excess of the insurance coverage of the Ninnekah Public School District a judgment would be assessed against the taxpayers of the District.”
The money could also be put upon the people of Grady County itself if that is decided, as the district is listed under the county in the lawsuit.
If the payment was to come from the property owners, like Kingfisher, then it could cost somewhere around $1,000 per property owner every year for three years.
The county assessor told News 4 that there are 2,235 property owners within the district. So, if they broke that up within the $6,000,000 million left over then it could amount to $900 plus interest.
“I’m pissed because I don’t understand why Ninnekah has to pay for something that somebody else has done,” said Ricky Austin, who has lived in Ninnekah for a long time.
The Ninnekah Superintendent declined to comment but pushed to the statement given which denies wrongdoing but does claim that the settlement was the best way to allow the district to continue operating.
This civil lawsuit is one of a handful in the last year that a relatively small rural community in Oklahoma is having to pay.
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