The Anchorage Assembly approved a sole source contract for $250,000 for legal expenses related to former Municipal Manager Amy Demboski’s wrongful termination lawsuit during a special meeting Monday. The funding was requested by Mayor Dave Bronson.
The lead attorney, Clint Campion, will be paid $360 an hour to represent the city in the lawsuit.
“Our Department of Law is hollowed out,” Assembly member Anna Brawley said about the decision to use outside counsel. “The department is extremely low staffed. Multiple experienced staff, both attorneys and support staff, have left and continue to leave.”
Demboski filed a lawsuit against Bronson and the Municipality last Wednesday, alleging that Bronson wrongfully fired her when she brought up concerns about unethical behavior, illegal contracting and a toxic, misogynistic workplace.
“The claims brought forth in the complaint include but are not limited to the Alaska Human Rights Act, Defamation, Retaliation, the Anchorage Whistleblowers Act and wrongful termination,” the request for funding states.
Before filing the lawsuit, Demboski sent a scathing demand letter and attempted to settle with Bronson for $550,000, which the Assembly denied.
The current lawsuit is asking for damages to be determined at trial, and includes compensatory damages, attorney’s fees and punitive damages. Demboski was making about $219,000 per year when she was fired.
A spokesperson for the Bronson administration said that the lawyers will decide whether Bronson pursues another settlement or not.
Bronson’s term has been marked by lawsuits and settlements. He settled a wrongful firing case brought against him by Heather MacAlpine, who was fired while investigating unlawful discrimination claims against now-former Library Deputy Director Judy Eledge, for $277,500. Bronson settled another wrongful firing case brought by Anchorage’s first chief equity officer, Clifford Armstrong III, for $125,000.
Bronson paid a $2.4 million settlement to Roger Hickel Contracting after illegally authorizing the contractor to begin work on a proposed mass shelter with navigation services on Tudor and Elmore.
“It’s probably a good idea to have outside counsel to advise both the Administration and the Assembly. I don’t know if the Administration attempts to settle again. There are arguments for and against,” Assembly Chair Chris Constant told the Current “Once we get the firm under contract the Assembly will have some meaningful conversation with them.”
