The Rogers treasurer says the city has failed to properly reinstate him after he won more than $400,000 and his job back in a federal lawsuit against the city.
Jerry Hudlow was set to return to work May 15 after winning his wrongful termination lawsuit against Rogers on April 29. Hudlow was fired in May 2012 and filed the lawsuit three months later, claiming Mayor Greg Hines did not have absolute authority to fire him and that his due process rights were violated.
A federal judge last month in Fayetteville ruled in favor of Hudlow and ordered the city pay him $321,020 in lost wages and benefits, along with $84,697 in court costs. He also ordered the city to restore Hudlow to his previous job as city treasurer, according to court documents.
Hudlow on Tuesday filed another motion in the case, claiming the job he returned to this month is not a proper reflection of his job as treasurer. In the motion, Hudlow asks the federal court to
“(Hudlow) has been effectively ostracized from his former role as treasurer,” the motion states.
The treasurer said he was assigned to an office in the Parks and Recreation annex upon his return and has no staff. He also said he was notified by the city that he is not authorized to transact any business on behalf of Rogers. That job remains a responsibility of the city’s finance director, despite it falling under the purview of treasurer, the court document states.
Hudlow received a memo on his first day back that stated he would be reporting to the finance committee of the Rogers city Council. The finance committee chairwoman, city councilmember Betsy Reithemeyer, told Hudlow the next day that Hudlow’s new role as treasurer would be “oversight,” but did not further explain his job responsibilities, the motion states.
The alleged changes to Hudlow’s job as treasurer and his job responsibilities show the city has purposely failed to follow the federal court’s order to reinstate Hudlow as treasurer, according to the motion.