El Mirage council to continue review of formal complaint against Councilmember Anita Norton McDaniel

The El Mirage City Council on Tuesday, July 8, reviewed a notarized complaint from a city staff member alleging Councilmember Anita Norton McDaniel used a confrontational tone and made the employee feel uneasy during a June 19 interaction; the council voted to schedule a second meeting after the summer hiatus so McDaniel can attend and respond.

Mayor Alexis Hermosillo read the notarized complaint and described it as part of a larger, long-standing pattern of conduct reported by staff and colleagues. “This matter is not about politics. It is about conduct,” Hermosillo said as she urged the council to treat the allegations seriously and follow the city’s code of conduct and handbook procedures.

City attorney Trish, explaining the council’s options under the City of El Mirage code of conduct, told members they could direct a formal investigation, dismiss the allegation, or, if the council believed the evidence sufficient, find a violation. “If you believe that there is a pattern of unprofessionalism, you may choose to consider it,” Trish said, while recommending the council avoid making a final determination until McDaniel can be present.

Council members described past disputes and staff reports that, they said, show a recurring problem with McDaniel’s demeanor toward staff and some residents. Councilmember Scotty Gentry and others recounted incidents they said had caused staff distress; Councilmember Dorsey said the first priority was the employee’s well-being. “With regards to the complaint that’s in front of us, I am extremely concerned about our employee,” Dorsey said, urging protections for the staff member while the matter is pending.

The complaint itself, as read into the record, describes two interactions with a front-counter staff member on June 19 and June 30 in which the employee said McDaniel’s tone left the employee uncomfortable and uneasy. The city redacted identifying details in the public reading. Hermosillo said she notified McDaniel by email on June 30 and invited McDaniel to propose meeting times; the mayor said she received no timely response and later scheduled this special meeting after receiving a notarized statement from the staff member.

McDaniel asked in an earlier email for the meeting to be postponed, said she had sought video and other documentation and said she had apologized to the employee the day she learned of the allegation. The mayor responded that the council must review the notarized complaint promptly because it aligned with previously reported concerns and because the complaint had been filed in writing.

Council members discussed whether additional documentation — including camera footage and staff testimony — should be reviewed and whether the city manager, Crystal Dykes, should attend the follow-up meeting. Legal counsel cautioned that including additional staff as witnesses can place them in uncomfortable positions; several council members nevertheless said the manager’s input would be useful at a subsequent session.

After deliberation, Councilmember Dorsey moved and Vice Mayor Parsons seconded a motion to continue the matter to a second meeting after the council’s summer hiatus, at a time convenient for McDaniel; the motion passed by voice vote. The council did not take disciplinary action at the July 8 meeting and directed staff and the clerk’s office to schedule the follow-up meeting so McDaniel may respond in person.

The council also discussed related concerns that several members described as part of a broader pattern — including past confrontations with staff and questions about McDaniel’s conduct on certain city business trips — but no additional formal actions were taken at Tuesday’s special meeting. The mayor said the second meeting will permit a fuller review and any potential follow-up consistent with the code of conduct.