Contractors near wage lawsuit settlement

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A settlement in a federal wage lawsuit involving two Brookfield contractors is waiting on one signature.

A group of 11 former employees of Arctic Landscape and Design LLC sued the company in October 2012, alleging they were not paid state-mandated wages on four Wisconsin Department of Transportation highway projects. The ex-employees also alleged they were illegally denied overtime pay.

Arctic brought Badger Lighting and Signs Inc. into the lawsuit in December, claiming Badger subcontracted work on those projects to Arctic. According to court documents, Arctic sued Badger for, among other things, fraud, breach of contract and theft by contractor.

Badger’s insolvency hampered the case in January, when the company went into receivership. The case was delayed further by the April 1 death of Arctic’s owner, Arnold Kellenberger.

Julie Kellenberger, the widow of Arnold Kellenberger, has said he was involved in settlement talks before his death.

According to a letter Tuesday attributed to Bill Parsons, an attorney with Milwaukee-based Hawks Quindel SC who represents the group of ex-employees, and addressed to United States District Judge Patricia Gorence, all 11 plaintiffs and Julie Kellenberger have signed the settlement agreement.

The only signature that is still needed, according to the letter, is one from a Badger representative. In the letter, Parsons requested a status conference to discuss proceeding with the settlement.

— Beth Kevit