El Mirage council reviews notarized staff complaint against Councilmember Anita Norton McDaniel, votes to continue review after summer recess

Mayor Alexis Hermosillo opened a special meeting Tuesday to brief the City Council on a notarized complaint filed by a city employee alleging an inappropriate, intimidating interaction with Councilmember Anita Norton McDaniel on June 19, 2025, and a follow-up encounter on June 30, 2025. After more than two hours of discussion, the council voted to continue the matter to a second meeting scheduled after the council's August hiatus so Norton McDaniel and City Manager Crystal Dykes can be present.

The complaint, as read into the record by the mayor, describes a front-counter exchange June 19 in which the employee said Norton McDaniel questioned whether the employee had placed her mail in the wrong box and then asked, "Are you calling Crystal a liar?" The complainant said he felt uncomfortable and later submitted a notarized written statement. A second notarized statement recounts a follow-up conversation on June 30 in which the employee again said he felt uneasy and that Norton McDaniel asked that camera footage be reviewed.

The mayor, Alexis Hermosillo, told the council the complaint mirrors a broader pattern of conduct raised previously by staff, fellow council members and residents. "This matter cannot be ignored or deferred further," Hermosillo said, and she described prior efforts to address similar concerns informally, including an invitation for Norton McDaniel to meet with the mayor that, according to the mayor, received no timely response.

City Attorney Trish explained the council's code of conduct and the procedural options available under the handbook: dismiss the allegation, direct a formal investigation, or find a violation on the face of the materials. Trish recommended caution about making a final determination in Norton McDaniel's absence and noted the council may schedule a second meeting to allow the councilmember to respond.

Several council members expressed concern for the employee who filed the complaint and for staff generally. Councilmember Dorsey said, "Let us not lose sight of our employee," and urged the council to consider the staff member's welfare while the council is on hiatus. Vice Mayor Parsons and other members recounted past incidents staff and others have raised dating back several years; Parsons cited a 2017 council memo that staff said recorded an earlier hostile encounter.

Norton McDaniel sent an email on July 7 asking that the scheduled session be postponed, saying she had apologized to the employee after learning of the complaint and that she had requested security camera footage and related documentation. The mayor replied that the July 8 meeting would proceed to present the notarized complaint and related materials to the full council and that a second meeting would be scheduled after Norton McDaniel's return to allow her to present her account.

Council members debated whether to limit consideration to the June incidents or weigh a broader history of reported conduct. Trish said the code permits the council to consider a pattern of conduct but that informal verbal complaints are handled differently and are not recorded in the same way as notarized written complaints.

After discussion the council considered next steps. Councilmember Dorsey moved to continue the discussion at a second meeting after the summer hiatus at a time convenient to Councilmember Norton McDaniel; Vice Mayor Parsons seconded. The motion passed by voice vote with opposition or roll-call not recorded in the public audio; the clerk's office will schedule the follow-up meeting. The council also approved a separate motion to adjourn.

The meeting did not produce a final determination about sanctions or corrective action. Trish advised that the council may direct a formal investigation, dismiss the complaint, or—if evidence and testimony are sufficient when Norton McDaniel is present—determine a violation and consider sanctions. The council indicated it wants additional information and the opportunity to hear Norton McDaniel's response before taking action.

What happened next: the mayor and clerk's office will coordinate with Norton McDaniel and with staff to set a date after the August recess. The council also discussed possible handbook clarifications about response timelines for notices to council members and noted the complaint raised ancillary questions about internal communications and past conduct, which council members said should be fully reviewed at the follow-up meeting.