MINOT, N.D. (AP) - A complaint filed last month by Minot’s fired city attorney alleges controlling behavior and unreasonable demands by the city’s manager, who denies those claims.
The Minot Daily News reports (https://bit.ly/1v3VpMJ ) that documents it obtained through an open records request show Colleen Auer’s complaint to the City Council claimed unlawful harassment based on gender. She said City Manager Cindy Hemphill “engaged in a pattern of controlling, abusive and unauthorized behavior towards me because I am a female attorney who does not behave like my male predecessor.”
Auer on March 31 replaced John Van Grinsven, who retired as city attorney in January. Her complaint to the City Council came just a few weeks later, on April 19.
Hemphill in a written response denied any animosity toward Auer as a female attorney. She said she works well with the assistant city attorney, who is female, and also tried to work with Auer.
“After personal interaction with Mrs. Auer, I have walked away frustrated because I do not get the sense she is listening to the input from me on the different issues,” Hemphill wrote.
Auer said harassment by Hemphill precluded her from performing her duties and that she was badgered, bullied and coerced into working exhaustive hours to complete months’ worth of pending legal matters in less than three weeks. The City Council concluded Hemphill did nothing wrong.
Hemphill fired Auer for insubordination on May 2 and the City Council affirmed the firing on May 5. Auer has filed a grievance with North Dakota’s Labor Department and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to get her job back. The city hasn’t commented on the complaints because of the possibility of litigation.
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Information from: Minot Daily News, https://www.minotdailynews.com
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