KLEPT, why did taxpayers pay for judgment against Serpico?[D209]

Generoso Trombetta sued District 209 and Ron Serpico for illegally firing Trombetta. Serpico was sued in his private capacity, not in his capacity as president of the board of Melrose Park.

Melrose Park Herald (David Pollard) dated May 12, 2004:

A jury ruled last week in favor of Generoso Trombetta, former head custodian at Proviso East High School, ordering Melrose Park Mayor Ronald Serpico and the District 209 School Board and its superintendent to pay a combined $1.4 million in damages. The jury ordered Serpico to pay $1 million and Dist. 209 Superintendent Gregory Jackson to pay $250,000 in punitive damages.

The defendants must also pay $75,000 for emotional pain and suffering and $63,000 in lost wages. District 209 School Board President Emanuel "Chris" Welch and board members Theresa Kelly, Michael Carlson and Dan Adams were also defendants in the case, but are attempting to establish immunity from liability.

But who paid?

Melrose Park Herald (John Huston):

The $1.2 million will now be split among Proviso Township School District 209 and two insurance companies -- one for the School District and one for Melrose Park.

Melrose Park's insurer, St. Paul, will pay $500,000 and AIG, the insurer for District 209, will pay $500,000. The other $250,000 will come from District 209's coffers.

Is this legal?

If Ron Serpico is at fault in a vehicle collission, wouldn't it be illegal for him to get the village's insurance company to pay the bill? Why is this any different? To what level of government does one report this kind of abuse for investigation and prosecution?