Attorneys for the City of Wausau are denying discrimination allegations claimed by a former employee.

Wendy Jasurda was fired from the Community Development Authority last August and has since filed a lawsuit with the state's Equal Rights Division, claiming she was sexually discriminated against and worked in a hostile environment.

Milwaukee-based attorneys for the city claim that Jasurda was fired only because she misused the CDA's credit card by racking up over $1,500 in personal charges.

According to court records, she is facing a misdemeanor theft charge.

The city's report inclues an audit of the charges which come from department stores, a grocery and fabric store, plus several gas stations.

It also says Jasurda had several opportunities to pay for her charges on the CDA credit card account, but failed to do so. She did, however, send one check for $113.11 to the credit card company.

The former public housing director alleges her former boss, Community Development Director Mike Morrissey improperly received about $500 in a credit card reimbursement, but was allowed to pay it back. She also says Morrissey exceeded his city cell phone plan by sending thousands of text messages to then assistant director Kristen Fish, who has since resigned from the department.

A consultant who was hired by the city to investigate whether Morrissey promoted Fish because of a personal relationship found there was a relationship but it did not violate city police. He also concluded Morrisseey paid back the city for the credit card error within 24 hours and paid for the extra cell phone charges.

As for Jasurda's claim she was working in a hostile environment, the city says Morrissey admits to using profanity when he confronted Jasurda about the charges on August 20th, but there is no evidence he used acted hostile to any employee in any other incident.

The next step involves an independent investigation through the state's Equal Rights Division.