Scottsdale mayor’s ex-chief of staff files wrongful termination claim for $1.5 million

PHOENIX — Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky’s former chief of staff, R. Lamar Whitmer, is preparing to fight his firing in court.

The city of Scottsdale and City Manager Greg Caton were served Thursday morning with a notice of claim related to a wrongful termination lawsuit, according to Wilenchik and Bartness, the law firm representing Whitmer.

A notice of claim is required in Arizona before a lawsuit can be filed against a government entity or employee.

Armed guards reportedly removed Whitmer at Caton’s direction on Jan. 14. Whitmer was placed on non-disciplinary suspension, with pay.

After a 65-day investigation, Caton fired Whitmer.

Why is Scottsdale mayor’s former chief of staff Lamar Whitmer suing?

The former chief of staff’s lawyer — Dennis I. Wilenchik — says that investigation was a sham.

“What we contend was a sham investigation was predetermined to defame Mr. Whitmer and result in the city manager assuming complete control of the mayor’s staff and preventing any meaningful oversight of the manager’s operation of the city bureaucracy,” Wilenchik said in a Thursday press release.

Whitmer is willing to settle his claim against the city for $1.5 million. The amount includes alleged lost employment, diminished future employment prospects, emotional harm, attorneys’ fees and damage to his reputation.

Why did Scottsdale city manager fire mayor’s former chief of staff?

The city of Scottsdale released an 18-page investigative report after employee allegations were submitted to the human resources department.

Whitmer was fired over allegations detailed in the report that he made inappropriate comments to staff and led a nonprofit that championed the mayor’s positions while campaigning against other City Council members.

The report says multiple people complained about offensive stories and jokes Whitmer allegedly told, including one remark to a female employee that a coworker’s door might have been closed because he was “watching porn.”

RL Whitmer Investigation_Final Report 3.20.26_Redacted by sosullivan

Whitmer’s attorney denies the allegations.

In fact, Wilenchik accused Caton of playing politics.

“It is an issue that will be tested here as will the actions of the city manager and his motives in engineering this plot to remove Mr. Whitmer for political purposes and the manner in which it was carried out,” Wilenchik said.

How did Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky react?

After Whitmer’s firing, Borowsky said she never saw him use inappropriate language and that her staff knows she expects workplace rules to be followed.

“My hope for the people of Scottsdale is that his replacement will be allowed to fulfill the responsibilities of a chief of staff to a mayor — including speaking with city staff,” Borowsky said. “The people deserve to move past petty politics and move forward in a manner befitting the history and expectations of the city of Scottsdale.”

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