A former Anchorage Municipal administrator Amy Demboski is suing Mayor Dave Bronson for gender discrimination and defamation, as well as for firing her for retaliation because she voiced concerns about the administration’s actions.
The lawyer for Demboski filed the lawsuit this month in Superior Court in Anchorage.
Demboski was threatening to sue for damages against the City after her dismissal by the mayor in December. In an eloquent note addressed to the Assembly and other city officials she complained about many illegal and unethical acts of Bronson or his team, including unlawful contracts and an unfriendly workplace. She requested a written apology as well as an agreement that would avoid a court appearance. The Assembly was unable to approve the settlement of $550,000 in May.
The 24-page suit that was filed on September. 1st, contains a myriad of allegations against the mayor as well as high-level city staff she previously wrote about in her letter as well as new ones, including the mayor’s “tacit approval” to his chief of staff to be in the “improper relationship with one of his subordinates” and the mayor was allegedly forced by his an associate John Morse to “swing” the contract for assistance for the homeless at Sullivan Arena mass shelter to Morse’s friends.
Demboski says she tried to convince staff to comply with the law, but was denied and then dismissed from the company by Bronson for bringing her concerns to the light. The lawsuit claims Bronson “told other employees he was’required to terminate her’ due to the fact that she had put her concerns into written form.'”
“Their indifference and disregard of the law and proper conduct caused every day difficulties,” says Demboski’s lawsuit.
The city’s mayor’s office released an unofficial statement on Wednesday, in response the suit.
“The City Mayor has been informed that that Ms. Demboski filed a civil lawsuit,” said the statement issued by Bronson spokesperson Veronica Hoxie. “He is going to continue do his best for the citizens of Anchorage and is looking at the possibility of this issue being solved.”
Bronson has repeatedly refused to speak publicly about the allegations made by Demboski and claims they’re personal issues and providing legal advice. Bronson has also refused to speak publicly about management concerns in City Hall.
Here are a few of the assertions made in the Demboski lawsuit:
- Demboski claims she was the subject of complaints from the then chief of staff Alexis Johnson having an improper relationship with a subordinate who was not named. Demboski claims that the mayor was aware of the issues and ordered Demboski to “catch” Johnson and the subordinate at City Hall. The relationship reportedly continued to this day with Mayor Bronson’s “tacit endorsement” in addition to “Mayor Bronson himself began engaging in retaliatory actions towards the staff of the administration who revealed the unprofessional relationship the light.” Johnson did not respond on Wednesday on a call for clarification.
- The mayor was pushed through an acquaintance, John Morse, to “swing” the contract to provide shelter services for homeless people at Sullivan Arena mass shelter to Bean’s Cafe which was owned by Morse’s close friend. Demboski claims Bronson was later dismissed Shawn Hays, who oversaw the contracting process, as the retaliation of Beans Cafe did not get the contract.
- The mayor signed a contract with Larry Baker as an advisor without the approval of his Assembly as well as the municipality manager. Demboski asserts that Baker’s subsequent short-term contracts were designed in order to avoid a minimum dollar amount which would have required approval from the Assembly.
- The mayor illegally shut off the city’s water fluoridation. city’s water fluoridation system..
- The mayor commanded work to be completed on the proposed East Anchorage homeless shelter without Assembly approval.
- Bronson and Baker attempted to make the Department of Law municipal prosecutors dismiss domestic violence allegations made against Brandon Spoerhase who was a business associate of Baker Bronson, and Kolby Hickel, then Bronson’s deputy municipal manager.
- Baker attempted to persuade Bronson to guide the city’s real estate transactions to properties owned through Baker along with Spoerhase.
- Bronson was known to treat women as women who are subordinate to men. Demboski described an instance involving Anchorage CFO Grant Yutrzenka. She claimed that the Mayor “raised his voice and yelled” and put his hands before her in various heights, explaining that, in Mayor Bronson’s head because the mayor believes that Mr. Yutrzenka is a male as is the other is female. Demboski is woman Mr. Yutrzenka is “up here’ while Demboski is ‘down there’. Demboski is “down down there.'”
Demboski also claimed that Bronson met with senior staff members to “get their facts right” concerning her dismissal, and that the Bronson administration disseminated false information regarding Demboski that “negatively affected her ability to find new work.”
Scott Kendall, the attorney for Demboski Scott Kendall, the attorney for Demboski, did not respond to a request for comments.
The lawsuit claims it was the case that Dembsoki was fired as a the retaliation of Bronson and Bronson, a breach of Alaska Whistleblower Act, that the mayor involved in discrimination against women Demboski The lawsuit also alleges that the mayor violated his duty to act in fair dealing and good faith and the mayor and his staff ridiculed Demboski which made it more difficult for her to obtain new work.
The lawsuit demands greater than $200,000 in compensation along with additional damages and attorney’s fees. It also requests an injunction from the court to stop any further negative actions against Demboski.
The Alaska Public Media’s Jeremy Hsieh contributed to this report.
