Youngstown files to stop lawsuit

YOUNGSTOWN — The city filed a motion to dismiss a wrongful-termination lawsuit filed against it by an ex-city clerk.

Neil D. Schor of Youngstown, who is representing the city in this matter, asked Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Thursday to throw out Arlene Bahar’s lawsuit filed April 13, 2007.

Bahar’s lawsuit states she was fired in February 2006 after complaining about being sexually harassed for more than four years by then-Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st. The firing was “in retaliation for having truthfully and in good faith opposed the unlawful discriminatory practice” of being sexually harassed by Gillam, the suit states.

Gillam, who is married to Councilwoman Annie Gillam, D-1st, insists he never sexually harassed Bahar.

Schor’s request contends Bahar failed in her lawsuit against the city to properly plead a claim of sexual harassment by not establishing that it was unwelcome, was based on her sex and that it created an abusive working environment, as required under state law.

Also, Schor wrote that Bahar’s lawsuit should be dismissed because she failed to follow state law by not naming those who voted to fire her in her legal filings.

For the complete story, read Saturday’s Vindicator or vindy.com