Riverside city attorney accuses 2 council members of bullying, harassment – Press Enterprise

Riverside’s city attorney has accused two members of the City Council of harassment, bullying and Brown Act violations, according to a claim she filed against the city.

Phaedra Norton, who is on administrative leave, alleges that Councilmembers Chuck Conder and Sean Mill created a hostile work environment after she filed a lawsuit against Conder and a former council member on behalf of the city. In her claim, Norton alleges Conder retaliated against her and she accuses Conder and Mill of discrimination based on her identity as a gay woman.

“The harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and isolation orchestrated by Conder and Mill and their allies are ongoing and have created an intolerable work environment,” the claim reads in part, “making it increasingly difficult for Norton to effectively perform her duties and uphold her responsibilities as city attorney.”

Norton, hired by the city in 2021 and poised for a contract extension and pay increase in 2024, alleges in her claim that Conder’s retaliation is the result of a February 2023 lawsuit she filed accusing Conder and a former council member, Steve Adams, of violating the Brown Act.

After Norton filed the lawsuit — an action that had the backing of Conder’s council colleagues — Conder “baselessly” accused the city attorney’s office of abusing its power, found her work “unsatisfactory” and openly expressed disdain for gay people, which was a “direct affront” to Norton, according to the claim.

“These actions … not only constitute unlawful discrimination and retaliation based on Norton’s sexual orientation and good faith complaints of illegalities by Conder,” the claim reads, “but also inflict severe emotional distress and undermine the integrity of the city’s governance and legal process.”

The suit against Conder stems from his status as a witness in an October 2022 lawsuit filed by Riverside Municipal Airport hangar owner Tony Platt. Norton alleged Conder and Adams shared confidential information given to elected leaders behind closed doors, and the council unanimously approved Norton taking “appropriate legal proceedings” in response, according to the claim.

The attorney representing Conder and Adams, former Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco, has denied the city’s allegations. Pacheco said at the time the lawsuit was filed that the city was being misled by its lawyers. The lawsuit is ongoing.

When reached for comment, Conder said he was legally unable to respond. Mill, meanwhile, said he could not comment on potential litigation.

“At this point, no litigation has been filed against me,” he said.

Claims filed against the city are generally considered the first step toward a lawsuit.

In her claim, Norton alleges Conder “launched a relentless ongoing campaign of retaliation” against her following the February 2023 lawsuit. She alleges Conder attacked her character, participated in her performance evaluation despite his bias against her, and was verbally abusive. She said she raised concerns with city officials, but no actions were taken, according to the claim.

Norton expected to see a pay increase of about $49,500 in August 2024, as well as a four-year contract extension. But in April 2024, hours after the outgoing council majority voted to renew her contract, the incoming council majority decided to reconsider.

Conder, who originally voted for the four-year contract extension, asked for it be reconsidered.

Ultimately, the council extended Norton’s contract by two years in June 2024 and approved an additional $11,709 in pay for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Additional salary increases would be based on performance, the council decided.

“Norton’s contract was arbitrarily renegotiated,” according to the city attorney’s claim, “and the terms of Norton’s contract were diminished, and resulting in a decrease in Norton’s pay and benefits, clearly in retaliation for her legitimate complaints against Conder’s unlawful conduct.”

According to Norton’s claim, Mill aligned himself with Conder in discriminatory acts. Mill “displayed hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community” when the council voted not to expand its list of commemorative flags in 2024, the claim reads in part, and Conder walked out of a council meeting recognizing a gay pride nonprofit. Those actions are an example of “discrimination and retaliation based on Norton’s sexual orientation,” according to the claim.

Norton filed her claim against the city and council members on Sept. 9. She was placed on administrative leave Sept. 18, according to Riverside police spokesperson Ryan Railsback.

Norton requested all notices concerning the claim be sent to Shegerian & Associates Inc., a Riverside law firm. Rosanna Vargas, the firm’s director of operations, said Wednesday, Feb. 5, that the office no longer represents Norton. It remained unclear Friday, Feb. 7, whether Norton has retained new representation.

The city of Riverside declined to comment on the claim, Railsback said Thursday, Feb. 6. In Norton’s absence, assistant city attorney Jack Liu is serving as interim city attorney, Railsback said.

Jason Hunter, a former Riverside employee who has been a fixture at council meetings since he settled his own lawsuit against the city in 2015, has criticized the city attorney for her handling of various issues, including the lawsuit that led to the city taking action against Conder.

Although the city prevailed in the lawsuit filed by Platt, the airport hangar owner, recovering $2 million on a hangar that Platt paid $210,000 to refurbish, Hunter considered the city’s efforts a waste of money.