Eugene School District 4J’s finance director, Matthew Brown, has declared his intent to sue the district for retaliation and other claims.
Brown’s attorney, Nathan Rietmann of Rietmann Law, sent a tort claim notice to 4J on June 22, according to documents Lookout Eugene-Springfield obtained through a public records request. A tort claim is a required first document for those pursuing legal action against a public body for personal damages.
In the fall of 2025, the district announced a $30 million budget shortfall, and new Superintendent Miriam Mickelson presented cuts to close that gap in three stages. Then in March, 4J leaders announced there was an additional $16.4 million gap due to forecasting errors, and they decided to fill that by dipping into savings and using other one-time funds…