For the last four years, the city of Boynton Beach, along with the Community Redevelopment Agency from that city, has been involved in a number of lawsuits. They had all been filed by the woman who used to head up the CRA. However, the cases are now all closed, as a judge dismissed the last one in December of 2014.
The woman worked with the CRA for about five years, starting in June of 2005 and ending in September of 2010.
This latest lawsuit was targeted at both the city attorney and the city itself, but the claims made were against the attorney. The woman felt that her contract had been interfered with on an intentional basis. She said that the competitive bidding practiced that were used were those of Boynton Beach, but not those of the Community Redevelopment Agency.
Another connected case, though, made the claim that she had rejected sexual advances from the man who was then the mayor of the city, and that she had reported him to the authorities. She claimed that she was then outed unfairly because of her actions, saying that the mayor wanted to control the CRA after her removal.
However, that case, which was filed in March of 2011, was also dismissed. That was done in August.
As this shows, it can be difficult to win a sexual harassment case, or a number of related cases, in Florida. If you want to file one, you must give yourself the best possible chance of success by fully understanding all of the legal options that you have and your personal rights.
Source: Palm Beach Post, “Lisa Bright v. Boynton Beach is history; final lawsuit dismissed” Alex Seltzer, Dec. 30, 2014
