Former St. Cloud staffer suing city

Ex-economic development chief claims age, gender bias

St. Cloud’s former economic development director received a glowing evaluation from her boss, a raise of more than $18,000 and a verbal offer of a promotion in the five weeks before she was fired.

That is according to a lawsuit Laura Gambino, 53, filed in federal court in Orlando last week, alleging the city discriminated against her because of her age and gender when she was fired last June.

“She’s a strong, intelligent, hardworking woman who wanted to make sure other women aren’t treated this way,” said Fort Lauderdale Attorney Michelle Cohen Levy, who represents Gambino.

St. Cloud spokeswoman Krystal Diaz said that the city doesn’t comment on pending litigation, but added that “it continues to be the city’s position that this former employee was lawfully terminated under her probationary period.”

Gambino was fired June 22, 2017. Two days before, the suit alleges then-City Manager Joe Helfenberger verbally offered her the position of assistant city manager, which comes with another $20,000 salary bump, in addition to the one she’d received previously.

However, in a dismissal letter sent to Gambino, he said she was being let go for gross insubordination, mounting complaints from employees and for threatening a council member with a lawsuit if he didn’t support her getting the assistant city manager position.

It also says that Gambino “falsely stated that [she] received an offer for a job position.” The lawsuit calls those statements in the letter “false and defamatory.”

Gambino, who was hired by St. Cloud in October 2016, did not respond to a call seeking comment. The city’s probationary period is one year, Diaz said.

The suit — filed in U.S. District Court on June 4 — demands a jury trial and compensation for lost wages and damage to her professional reputation, as well as “emotional pain and suffering.”

It contends the discrimination occurred in several ways.

The lawsuit says Gambino was required to live within the city limits during her tenure as