NEWS
City of Deming sued by former spokesperson
Lawsuit claims sexual harassment and retaliation by city manager
The city of Deming鈥檚 former public relations officer, Amanda Sanders, claims in a lawsuit that she was effectively pushed out of her job after she filed complaints alleging sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation by City Manager Aaron Sera.
In turn, the city is denying any misconduct or retaliation occurred and suggested issues with Sanders鈥� job performance preceded her departure last February. Sanders 鈥渧oluntarily resigned her position,鈥� the city argues, 鈥渆ntitling her to no relief from Defendant.鈥�
Sanders started in the job at the end of 2022. She reported directly to Sera, who has served as the city鈥檚 top administrator since 2014.
Sanders鈥� complaint alleges that Sera propositioned her during a business trip to Santa Fe with other city staff. Two weeks later, city voters elected a new mayor and city council members. The day after that election, Sanders says she spoke with mayor-elect Micki Shillito at a recurring community meeting. In response, Sanders claims Sera forbade her from attending the meetings in the future.
In a response to the lawsuit filed in the state鈥檚 3rd Judicial District, the city denies the claims about Sera鈥檚 behavior and suggests it was not even aware of Sanders鈥� conversation with Shillito, the first woman elected mayor of Deming, who took office at the start of 2024. Shillito told the Journal she did not recall whether she spoke to Sanders at that meeting.
Deming鈥檚 city manager is selected and reports directly to the mayor and council.
Sera has worked for the city since 2009, serving as its community services director until he was promoted to the top administrator job by Mayor Benny Jasso, Shillito鈥檚 predecessor, five years later.
Sanders alleges that after her contact with the mayor-elect, Sera would not give her direction and that he and other employees shunned her.
Both parties agreed that Sanders filed a personnel complaint at the city accusing Sera of sexual harassment in April 2024, for which he was initially placed on administrative leave while the allegations were investigated and then temporarily worked from home. Later, as confirmed by the city, Sera directed that Sanders report to the city鈥檚 community services director rather than him.
Sanders claims that in July 2024, Sera called for a special session of the council to discuss firing her 鈥渇or having made 鈥榝alse allegations.鈥欌�� The city denies this claim. Public records document the council met in closed session on July 24, 2024, to discuss an item described as 鈥淟imited Personnel Matters Regarding the City Manager; employment contracts for appointed officials; and the demotion, dismissal, and the investigation of complaints or charges against a public employee.鈥�
Following that meeting, Sanders alleges the city offered her a severance package allowing her to leave the city without any disciplinary action or termination. Instead, she filed a new complaint alleging retaliation and took her case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in August 2024. The city denied the claim of a severance offer in its response to the lawsuit.
The city admitted that Sanders was presented with a proposed disciplinary action in August of 2024 yet denied how it was characterized in Sanders鈥� lawsuit. Sanders claimed it followed immediately after she filed her EEOC complaint for sex discrimination and retaliation and accused her of non-cooperation with employees, policy violations and 鈥渟preading false rumors.鈥�
Finally, at the end of last February, Sanders states that she resigned 鈥渂ecause no reasonable person could work under the conditions that (she) underwent.鈥�
Sanders is seeking lost pay, reinstatement and compensatory damages as well as legal costs and interest under New Mexico鈥檚 Human Rights Act.
The city counters in its response that Sanders had not complied with the law鈥檚 requirements for making her claim and denies that any retaliation, abusive work environment or adverse employment action took place. The response states that Sanders鈥� own actions 鈥渃reated legitimate issues regarding her integrity, candor, and truthfulness.鈥�
Sanders is seeking a jury trial. Further proceedings have not yet been scheduled.
Algernon D'Ammassa is the Journal's southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.
