WESTBROOK – Westbrook firefighter Kathy Rogers officially retired on Monday, marking the end of a dark chapter for the Westbrook Fire Department.

Meanwhile, the fire chief says they continue to make strides on a weekly basis to change the department’s culture and image.

Rogers was one of two female firefighters who filed a lawsuit against the city in 2008 claiming they were sexually harassed and discriminated against at the department.

Rogers and the other firefighter, Lisa Theberge, are set to receive more than $846,000 between them in two separate settlements. In exchange, the women had to drop their claims against the city.

Theberge returned to work in June, but Rogers remained on paid leave until Monday, the day she was eligible to retire after 20 years of employment.

Her settlement could have hit a snag if the Maine Public Employees Retirement System did not recognize her 20 years of service and that her pay for 2008, 2009 and 2010 was set at $70,000 per year. Her pay for those three years was raised to that amount because, as part of the settlement, she was retroactively promoted to lieutenant.

City Administrator Jerre Bryant said things went as planned and Rogers was able to retire without a hitch. He declined to comment further.

Rogers’ attorney, Rebecca Webber, also declined to comment, citing the settlement’s confidentiality agreement.

As part of the lawsuit fallout, the city has attempted to change the fire department’s image. At her January inauguration, Mayor Colleen Hilton announced she would not be reappointing former Chief Daniel Brock. She said she planned to reinvent the department and was immediately changing the leadership structure.

Brock is suing the city, while a management firm was hired in March to take over the department. The current chief is Michael Pardue, a management consultant.

Efforts to rework the department included sexual harassment training. A number of firefighters have also left the department or been put on leave due to legal troubles outside of work.

Most recently, call firefighter Anthony Cataldi was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 14 due to a protective order filed against him. Pardue confirmed Cataldi is on leave, but would not comment further.

Pardue said this week the department’s evolution is “going extremely well.” It is an ongoing process that has firefighters working collaboratively within the schools and the community to improve the department’s image, he said.

They are working on department values and a mission statement that will be prominently displayed throughout the station, he said. A strategic planning committee has also been charged with developing one-, three- and five-year plans so the department can continue in the right direction, Pardue added.

Even new uniforms are on the way, which will display each officer’s badge, rank and name, establishing their pride in their work, he said.

The firefighters are moving forward with embracing new values and a code of conduct, he said.

“The firefighters have been very supportive and really receptive” of efforts to further professionalize the department, Pardue said. “It takes the entire department’s participation in that effort to be successful.”