MASON CITY, Iowa (Globe Gazette) — A jury trial is scheduled for June 24, 2013, in the federal lawsuit filed by former Mason City police officer Maria Ohl against city officials.
Defendants are the city of Mason City, City Administrator Brent Trout and Police Chief Michael Lashbrook.
The suit cites seven counts of alleged improprieties that occurred while Ohl was employed as a police officer.
Maria Ohl (in red) during the Mason City Civil Service Commission hearing last year (Photo: North Iowa Today)
She was fired in August 2011 for allegedly violating several Police Department regulations.
She appealed her firing to the Civil Service Commission which upheld her dismissal. She has appealed the Civil Service commission decision to Cerro Gordo County District Court. It is scheduled for trial on Oct. 24.
The federal suit was originally filed in November 2010, nine months before she was fired, and later amended. It alleges:
• Two counts of sex discrimination, both against the city, in which Ohl claims she was subjected to a sexually hostile and abusive environment in which she was passed over for promotions because of her gender.
• Two counts of religious discrimination, both against the city, in which she claims she was subjected to offensive and harassing treatment based on her religious beliefs.
• Three counts of retaliation — one against the city, one against Lashbrook and one against Trout, in which Ohl claims she was denied promotion opportunities because she reported alleged discrimination in the workplace.
Ohl is representing herself. The city is represented by attorneys Timothy Boller and Dominic Pechota of the Waterloo law firm of Gallagher, Langlas & Gallagher.
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