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The city of Miami is poised to fork over $200K in a wrongful termination suit. Mary Conway had worked for the city as the director of Capital Improvement Projects since 2003 — and was instrumental in a city investigation that led to the arrests of 14 city workers in her department earlier this year. The Capital Improvement department workers, who dubbed themselves “The Firm,” did outside consulting and planning work on city time.
Despite her seemingly good deed (initiating the investigation), she was fired in July, not long after the arrests of her workers. According to a memo from City Attorney Jorge Fernandez’ office, Conway said “she was terminated in violation of Florida’s Whistleblower Act.” Publicity surrounding her termination made it difficult to find another job, she added.
City Attorney Fernandez (who’s in a bit of trouble himself, over renovating his office to the tune of $300K) is recommending that City Commissioners on Thursday pay Conway $200,000 as part of the settlement.
The losers? Why, taxpayers, of course. Conway shouldn’t have been fired — and now residents will have to pay for officials’ stupidity.
