C'Shores city employee appeals termination

October 11, 2012, 6:00 pm by Alexandria Randolph

Cottonwood Shores City Council granted former City Treasurer Chris Alvarenga an extension on her appeal of termination last week.

Alvarenga, who was let go in late August, had her attorney, Steve Hurst in attendance at the appeal last week, which occurred during an open session. This is Alvarenga’s second appeal, the first of which occurred on Sept. 20 during a council meeting and had no action taken due to unpreparedness on Alvarenga’s part. The date for Alvarenga’s appeal is set Oct. 18 during the regularly scheduled council meeting.

Ordinarily the appeal would be handled by the city administrator, but this appeal was overseen by council due to fairness issues.

"At the time she asked for a (first) appeal, I sent her a letter saying that I could not do her appeal... because I was the one who terminated her,” said City Administrator Janet Taylor-Carusi. "I didn’t turn down her appeal, I just didn’t think it was appropriate for me to do the appeal.”

For more on this story, see Friday's Highlander.