Former golf course superintendent claimed she was subjected to workplace harassment and discrimination

By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news

A former Ashland Parks & Recreation employee will receive $700,000 to settle a lawsuit dating back to February 2022, the city of Ashland said in a statement released Monday.

A post on the city’s website said the lawsuit filed by Laura Chancellor against Ashland Parks & Recreation, the city and five employees and was dismissed with the agreement of all parties “to avoid the expense and burden of further litigation.”

The agreement says it is not in any way an “admission of wrongdoing or liability.”

Chancellor will receive $70,000 in retroactive pay from the city of Ashland’s insurance fund and $630,000 from City/County Insurance Services — Ashland’s insurance carrier — for “alleged emotional distress and attorney’s fees,” according to the city.

Chancellor’s lawsuit, which asked for $750,000 in damages, alleged workplace harassment and discrimination, including allegations of sexist, ageist and homophobic behavior. Ashland Parks & Recreation, the city of Ashland and five individuals — Michael Black, Joseph Hyde, Jason Minica, Chris Ward and Mark Trenton — were all named in the complaint, according to Jackson County Circuit Court documents.

The five individuals were dismissed from the complaint prior to settlement, according to the city’s statement. Black, who resigned effective in July after serving as the parks department director for nine years, is now community development director in Moab, Utah, according to the Moab Times.

Chancellor alleged that while she worked for APRC from 2004 to 2022 she endured discrimination for her sexual identity and her gender from various individuals at APRC, but in particular the named individuals, who she stated operated as a group calling itself “the four horsemen,” according to the documents. Chancellor also stated the city of Ashland’s human resources director dismissed her complaints.

Chancellor quit her job as superintendent of Oak Knoll Golf Course in June 2022, her attorneys said, due to alleged harassment by co-workers and what they said was the city’s unwillingness to intervene.

According to the statement on the Ashland city website, since Chancellor’s complaint the city has hired a new human resources director, implemented diversity, equity and inclusion training for employees, and APRC has chosen “best management practices to strengthen relations between management, co-workers, city employees and community members” as its top priority for 2023-2024.

“It is the council and staff leadership’s job to make sure we have a healthy and productive workplace,” said Tonya Graham, mayor of Ashland.

The closure of the lawsuit allows the city to “to focus our energy on the things that we put in place to make sure the city of Ashland has a great work environment for its people,” she said.

City Manager Joe Lessard could not be immediately reached for comment.

Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.