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DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - The city of Davenport is paying City Administrator Corri Spiegel $1.6 million as part of a separation agreement.

TV6 Investigates: Davenport Leaders Leaving

In a statement from the city council, they blamed harassment from elected leaders for Spiegel’s departure.

“Protection of our employees from wrongful, unwanted, harmful behavior is a paramount obligation,” it said. “Until elected officials can refrain from these behaviors or until we can provide this protection in an effective and timely manner, we will continue to lose great employees.”

It comes after the city ousted elected Ald. Derek Cornette in September for what it called sexual harassment of city staff.

Spiegel said she’d been a victim.

Cornette lost reelection, but he’s suing the city.

The separation agreement with Spiegel is dated Oct. 6, meaning the deal was reached after Cornette was ousted but before the November election.

The city announced Spiegel’s leave in a statement last week, calling it a transition in leadership.

Spiegel is set to depart on Jan. 2, but an interim has already taken over day-to-day operations at City Hall.

Other top leaders are exiting City Hall.

The city’s top lawyer, Tom Warner, is leaving for retirement. The city’s chief strategy officer, Sarah Ott, is leaving for a job in the Davenport school district.

The city struck Spiegel’s deal in secret. There’s been no mention of the details of the departures at city council meetings.

The city council statement about Spiegel said leaders wouldn’t take questions.

The separation agreement bars Spiegel from discussing her departure with local media for the next 10 years.