Former clerk sues City Council over alleged wrongful firing

photo Chattanooga City Council

The Chattanooga City Council's former clerk has sued the body for what she says was her retaliatory and wrongful firing.

Former Clerk Sandra Freeman was fired in December 2014 as part of a restructuring of the city's staff that was passed in a 5-4 vote in September.

On Wednesday, she filed a lawsuit in Hamilton County Circuit Court saying council Chairman Chip Henderson pushed for a restructuring of the office that resulted in her firing as retaliation.

According to the lawsuit, Freeman alleged to the rest of the council that Henderson and Councilwoman Carol Berz withheld a University of Tennessee report on statewide city clerk pay scales from the members and that Henderson ordered another council staff member to "confidentially modify portions of the job description of employees" in the office.

Maury Nicely, Freeman's attorney, said in a phone interview Wednesday they believe Henderson "intentionally attempted to subvert procedures" in an effort to make the restructuring happen.

The lawsuit asks the city to pay Freeman all of her back pay since her firing, pay going forward, and all legal and court fees associated with the case.

Henderson declined to comment Tuesday, referring questions to the city attorney's office.

City Attorney Wade Hinton said he was reviewing the complaint and could not comment. Berz was out of town and could not be reached for comment.

Some on the council opposed the restructuring, calling it an "immoral and illegal" way to fire its staff.

Councilman Moses Freeman, no relation to Sandra Freeman, predicted Tuesday's lawsuit while directing comments to Henderson during a council meeting in November.

"I think this thing is going to come back to haunt us in days in the future. One way or another we are going to be bitten by the decision we have made," Moses Freeman said. "This illegal, immoral process that you have engaged in, it's hateful. You should be ashamed of yourself, and I'm ashamed of you."

Sandra Freeman was three years away from qualifying for her pension, although that issue is not raised in the lawsuit.

Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.

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