Ex-city manager sues Henderson over dismissal

Former Henderson City Manager Mary Kay Peck has slapped the City Council with a federal lawsuit over its decision to fire her a month ago.

In a complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, Peck accuses the city and its council members of violating her employment contract and conspiring against her behind closed doors.

The lawsuit, filed on Peck's behalf by attorney Norman Kirshman, names Mayor Jim Gibson and council members Jack Clark, Andy Hafen, Steve Kirk and Gerri Schroder.

According to the lawsuit, Peck never received a performance evaluation in her 18 months on the job and was never given a chance to respond to the allegations that led to her dismissal.

City leaders said Peck created a "culture of fear" at City Hall, withheld information from the mayor and council, and failed to respond appropriately to the city's budget woes.

The City Council is slated to vote tonight on whether to name Assistant City Manager Mark Calhoun as Peck's permanent replacement.

Calhoun, who has worked for the city for 26 years, was named interim city manager after Peck was fired April 14. His proposed three-year contract calls for him to be paid $225,000 per year.

Peck, who was Henderson's first female city manager, drew the same base salary.

Kirshman previously said the city could wind up owing his client the pay and benefits she would have made over the final 18 months of her contract. Peck's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

City spokeswoman Kathy Blaha said officials expected to be served Monday with notice of the lawsuit, but she did not know whether that occurred.

Blaha said she couldn't comment on the lawsuit because she had not yet seen it.