COHOES — Shawn M. Morse, the embattled former mayor of Cohoes, is on track to receive more than $170,000 from the city for injury claims, including an incident last year when he slipped on the stairs inside City Hall following a Common Council meeting.

The council was briefed on the injury case behind closed doors at a meeting Tuesday night. Their private meeting was listed on the agenda as a discussion about the "personnel history of a particular person."

The council emerged to vote in favor of an initial $5,000 payment to Morse to secure an agreement preventing any future claims by him, including any claims related to the city's decision to install council President Christopher Briggs as acting mayor after Morse pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges in August.

The six-figure payment, which would settle claims for any injuries he sustained as a former city firefighter as well as the injury that Morse alleged to have suffered on the stairs last year, was negotiated by Triad Group, a risk management company that handles workers compensation cases for the city. In general, awards for workers compensation claims are not taxable.

The city is self-insured and the payment of the total settlement will be absorbed by taxpayers, according to three people with knowledge of the case.

Briggs, who remains acting mayor, could not be reached for comment.

Councilman Stephen Napier Jr. said he witnessed an incident last year when Morse appeared to lose his balance as he descended the last step of the staircase near the mayor's office following a council meeting on the second floor.

Napier said Tuesday evening was the first time the council was made aware of the claim. Citing the confidentiality of the closed-door meeting, Napier declined additional comment other than to confirm his public vote and his recollection of the incident.

Councilman Randy Koniowka also confirmed that he voted with the council Tuesday to pay $5,000 to guard against any future claims from Morse. "It was a public vote," Koniowka said.

The 52-year-old Morse, a former Cohoes city firefighter, is a former chairman of the Albany County Legislature whose first term as mayor was mired in allegations of domestic abuse and scandal. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10 for his guilty plea in August to a felony wire fraud count in U.S. District Court.

Read more: Cohoes swears in new mayor following Morse guilty plea

Morse did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Earlier this year, the city rejected a Freedom of Information Law request by the Times Union that sought copies of any injury claims filed by him.

The more recent injury claim dealt with in the settlement was filed by the former mayor in early 2018, a few months after he reported another injury that took place while — as part of his mayoral duties — he was responding to a massive November 2017 fire that destroyed several buildings along Remsen Street in the heart of downtown. It's unclear whether that earlier claim resulted in any compensation or was withdrawn.

Five hours after Morse pleaded guilty on Aug. 20 to stealing campaign funds for personal use, the City Council voted to remove him from office and installed Briggs as acting mayor.

Morse, who has had brushes with police through the years, was accused in the federal criminal case of stealing more than $12,250 in campaign funds between 2013 and 2018. Last week, an order was issued in Morse's criminal case requiring him to forfeit $12,250 to the government at his sentencing. That financial judgment would be in addition to any fine the judge may issue in the case.

As mayor, Morse earned an annual salary of $75,000.

Bill Keeler, a retired State Police major and lifelong Cohoes resident, defeated Morse in a Democratic primary in June and will run unopposed in November. The next mayor will take office in January.

Read more: Shawn Morse's troubles