Иск бывшей сотрудницы коммунального управления города Милака о преследовании за разглашение информации о нарушениях безопасности был удовлетворен и закрыт

MILACA — A whistleblower lawsuit filed against the City of Milaca by a former public works employee has been settled and dismissed, ending the case before it reached trial. Court records filed Aug. 5 show the parties reached an agreement outside of court. The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it is permanently closed and cannot be refiled. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Former city employee Mark Wubben sued the city in October 2025, alleging he was fired after reporting workplace safety concerns and possible misconduct by co-workers. The city denied the allegations, maintaining Wubben was terminated because of workplace misconduct and not for protected whistleblower activity. According to the lawsuit, Wubben was hired as a seasonal park maintenance worker in 2015 before joining the Public Works Department full time in 2017. Over several years, Wubben claimed he repeatedly raised concerns about unsafe working conditions, including chemical handling, confined-space entries and sewer access without proper gas detection equipment. The lawsuit also alleged Wubben reported a co-worker for allegedly taking a tailgate from an impounded vehicle and installing it on a personal vehicle. Wubben claimed no action was taken after he reported the incident. Wubben alleged he faced retaliation after raising those concerns and was eventually fired Aug. 16, 2024. A key allegation in the lawsuit involved an Aug. 14, 2024, safety training hosted by the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association. Wubben said he discussed his unresolved safety concerns with MMUA Regional Safety Group Coordinator Jason Gorr, who later confirmed in an email that Wubben had raised safety issues with city staff. According to the complaint, City Manager Tammy Pfaff decided to terminate Wubben after receiving Gorr’s email. The city disputed that account, arguing Wubben primarily complained about the city, supervisors and co-workers during the conversation. The city also maintained Wubben violated multiple workplace policies and that those violations—not his safety complaints—led to his termination. Wubben’s lawsuit alleged violations of Minnesota’s whistleblower law and the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Act. He sought a jury trial and $50,000 in damages on each of two counts, citing lost income, emotional distress, medical expenses, humiliation and reputational harm. In its response, the city denied wrongdoing and argued several legal immunities applied. It also maintained its employment decisions were lawful and unrelated to any protected activity. After months of litigation, the parties reached a settlement and jointly moved to dismiss the case. The settlement agreement has not been made public.