Former Traverse City Planning Director Shawn Winter has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the City of Traverse City alleging he was retaliated against and ultimately fired after reporting suspected illegal conduct by city officials and refusing to participate.
Winter's attorney, Blake Ringsmuth, filed the lawsuit in Thirteenth Circuit Court under Michigan’s Whistleblowers’ Protection Act. Winter is seeking "damages for the economic and other harm caused by the alleged retaliation and has requested a jury trial," according to a release.
The lawsuit says Winter warned City Manager Benjamin Marentette "that he believed grant information was about to be improperly altered to qualify the project for government funding that it did not qualify for," the release states. "Winter also reported his concerns to the city attorney and sought a meeting to address them. Instead, Winter was disciplined by the city manager."
As previously reported by The Ticker after obtaining documents through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, Winter raised concerns after being asked to help HomeStretch, the city’s partner on the Lot O redevelopment, pursue a workaround that could improve its score on a state funding application. Winter flagged his discomfort with City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht. Marentette later wrote he was disappointed that Winter suggested the request might be "fraudulent," saying Winter was expected instead to "vet the request and circle back with a professional,...
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