City, Former Employee Reach Settlement

A cascade of questions—about authority, accountability, and how institutions respond when concerns involving serious allegations between minors and public officials–were answered at least in part when a settlement agreement was signed April 9, 2025.

Under the agreement, the city of Ulysses' insurance company paid a sum of money agreed upon by both parties to the alleged victim in an EEOC complaint that had been filed. As the Ulysses News has reported, a young woman, who was a juvenile at the time of the alleged incidents, was employed by the city during the summer of 2024, but her tenure ended amidst allegations against former mayor Tim McCauley and his brother, former Golf Course Superintendent Randel McCauley.

Tiim McCauley resigned his position as mayor last month following a successful recall petition that was circulated by some concerned citizens. Randy McCauley also resigned his position as Golf Course Superintendent.

As part of the settlement, neither of the McCauley brothers admitted any fault, and they were released from any liability related to the summer employment.

According to the alleged victim's parents, the decision to settle was rooted not in a belief that what occurred did not matter, but in the emotional and psychological toll their daughter had already endured.

They were advised that pursuing criminal charges would require their child, who signed the agreement only after becoming a legal adult, to testify in open court, recounting events repeatedly under cross-examination, potentially over several years.

“Our priority was our daughter,” the parent said. “Not proving something to the public, not winning a fight—protecting her.”

The family says their child had already experienced significant emotional distress, and they feared a prolonged criminal process would deepen that harm rather than bring closure.

Why the Matter Took a Civil Path

The only police report in this case is one said to have been filed by Ulysses Chief of Police Ron Vagher with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. That report was filed after the EEOC Complaint became available.  Efforts by The Ulysses News to contact the KBI regarding the report have thus far been unsuccessful.

Locally, a civil resolution was sought, in this instance, a  mediation facilitated through the family’s legal counsel and the City’s insurance provider.

Civil mediation is a common mechanism in cases involving municipalities. It allows disputes to be resolved without years of litigation, extensive public testimony, and mounting legal costs—costs that can affect not only families, but taxpayers as well.

Importantly for an entity such as the City of Ulysses, a civil settlement is a way to resolve the case without  a finding of guilt or innocence. Further, that process does not allow for the determination of facts in the way a court trial would.

Rather, it represents an agreement by all parties to resolve potential claims and move forward without continued legal uncertainty.

What a Release of

Liability Means

As part of the settlement, the parties entered into a standard release of liability. Such releases are boilerplate in civil resolutions and are designed to formally end the possibility of future legal action related to the matter.

These agreements typically include language preventing further litigation and limiting how details can be discussed publicly. While that can be frustrating for those seeking definitive answers, releases exist to provide finality—particularly in situations involving minors, where privacy and long-term well-being are paramount.

Settlements of this nature are not admissions. They are also not exonerations. They are tools used to avoid prolonged conflict and additional harm.

“This wasn’t about money,” the parent said. “It was about making sure this didn’t just disappear.”

For the family, the chapter is not closed emotionally—but it is closed legally.

Their hope, they say, is that awareness itself becomes a form of prevention.

“If telling our story makes one parent ask more questions, or one take a second look,” the parent said, “then it mattered.”

A Final Word

This reporting was undertaken in the public interest, with careful consideration of privacy, legal boundaries, and fairness. All allegations referenced throughout the series remain allegations unless proven in a court of law. The Ulysses News makes no determinations of guilt or wrongdoing.

What remains is a broader conversation—about trust, safeguards, and the responsibility owed to young people when they enter adult spaces.

That conversation, while this series concludes, does not have to end.