Ex-Alamogordo utility manager settles discrimination lawsuit

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — Alamogordo and a former city utility billing manger have reached a settlement in his federal discrimination lawsuit. The Alamogordo Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/2mJwBuZ ) that the city will pay Armando Ortega $500,000 to settle the lawsuit that claims he was discriminated and retaliated against by city officials in 2014 because he is Latino. According to court records, Ortega was hired by the city in 1997, received a number of promotions and raises, and then was ultimately fired by the city in 2015. Ortega claims that after receiving a single anonymous complaint, the city improperly instituted a full-scale investigation of him. The lawsuit claims that similar actions were not taken against non-Latino individuals. The city denies any wrongdoing and says the settlement does not imply any wrongdoing.