Winter, who was fired by City Manager Benjamin Marentette on July 29, alleged that he was “retaliated against and ultimately fired after reporting suspected illegal conduct by city officials and refusing to participate,” according to a press release from his attorney, Blake K. Ringsmuth.

Filed on Sept. 28 in 13th Circuit Court under the Michigan Whistleblowers’ Protection Act, the lawsuit alleges that the retaliation began after Winter “raised concerns about actions involving a proposed housing development and government grant funding.”

“A low-income housing grant had been applied for,” Ringsmuth said, “and there was a concern that the applicant wanted the City to alter the documentation in a certain way that allowed it to qualify for a grant that it didn’t appropriately qualify for.

"Shawn raised that concern with City administration, and he was disciplined in part for it.”

The complaint alleges that Winter “repeatedly objected to directives from the City Manager and a City Commissioner concerning City planning decisions that Winter believed violated Michigan law,” and that “the City Attorney even prepared a memorandum supporting Winter’s position.”

His suit claims that city commissioners pressured Marentette to fire him “or take other adverse action against him.”

“When a public employee speaks out and raises concerns about illegal conduct, the City’s response should not be to investigate and attack that employee, but rather to look into the concerns,” Ringsmuth said. “...

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