Ex-city worker to get $137,000

Sept. 20--The city of Alamogordo has agreed to pay a former employee $137,500 to settle a lawsuit she had filed against the city and several city officials earlier this year.

Stesha N. Woolen declined to comment except to say she was satisfied with the settlement. Her attorney also declined to comment.

The city did not admit to any wrongdoing, according to the federal court documents.

City Attorney Stephen Thies said the settlement would be paid out by the city and the New Mexico Self Insurers Fund.

Woolen agreed as part of the settlement to dismiss Thies, Assistant City Manager Matt McNeile and MIS Manager Mark Graham as defendants, Thies said.

Woolen alleged in a lawsuit that the city violated her federal civil rights and the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act.

She sought damages for back pay, loss of wages, mental anguish, emotional distress, as well as damages for "wrongful acts" by the defendants and attorney's fees.

Woolen worked as the city personnel manager but was demoted and later fired, she stated in federal court documents obtained by the Daily News, after she supported another employee who she believed city officials were treating unfairly.

That employee, former Alamogordo Department of Public Safety Lt. Lee Wilder, also sued in a separate lawsuit and settled with the city earlier this year for $250,000.

Woolen also alleged improper handling of public records requests, pay raises for unqualified employees and short staffing of the human resources, among other things.

She alleged that she was retaliated against for voicing her concerns, according to court records.

___

(c)2014 the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.)

Visit the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.) at www.alamogordonews.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services