City questions court on Stant Merit Board case

The city of Maricopa has filed a motion for Pinal County Superior Court to reconsider its order to remand the termination of a former employee to the city’s Merit Board.

The Merit Board, comprised of three local citizens appointed by the city council, upheld the firing of Sgt. Aki Stant in June 2010 by the Maricopa Police Department because he failed to answer questions during an internal investigation. Stant’s termination was ultimately upheld by then-City Manager Kevin Evans.

On Feb. 13, Superior Judge Gilberto V. Figueroa ruled Stant’s constitutional right to have legal representation during interviews with Internal Affairs Investigator Mike Burns may have been violated, and that the Merit Board needed to resolve that issue before the court could proceed with Stant’s $1.5 million wrongful termination lawsuit.

The city contends Stant’s rights were never violated and the action to fire him was done in good faith.