A lawsuit charging that a DeKalb alderman failed to pay wages to a campaign supporter has been dropped.

Former NIU student Thomas Fessler said Monday he dropped the lawsuit against 7th Ward Alderman Mark Powell because the matter was settled out of court. The suit, which was filed Nov. 10, claimed Powell failed to pay $184 to Fessler for campaign bonuses and back pay.

Fessler said Powell agreed to pay. “He (Powell) sent out the check today,” Fessler said.

Powell said, “It (the lawsuit) was just a misunderstanding.”

The suit also requested Powell to pay the $45 court fees needed to file the suit. “We split the court costs,” Fessler said.