Former Portsmouth assessor sues mayor and councilman, alleges wrongful termination
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Portsmouth’s former city assessor is suing Mayor Shannon Glover and Councilman Bill Moody for alleged wrongful termination.
Patrick Dorris, who was fired by council last March in a 5-1 vote, says he faced the retaliatory firing after refusing to follow alleged unlawful directives from Moody and Glover related to assessing taxes on the private Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club.
In the lawsuit filed this month, Dorris is suing for $5 million in compensatory damages, as well as $350,000 in punitive damages against Glover and Moody in both their personal and official capacities.
Mayor Glover responded to a request for comment on Wednesday, saying that “any accusations are 100% false” in the case.
Dorris said the firing came after it was found that the golf course (owned by Elizabeth Manor Golf Investors, II, LLC) had not paid taxes on the 140.3-acre property since 2003.
The lawsuit also includes an outside review from the Virginia Department of Taxation that found the city had improperly classified a portion of the club as “exempt” from taxation and the city should have levied real property taxes on the property based on Virginia code and an open space agreement at the heart of the issue.
Essentially, the open space agreement, in which the city deems its in the public interest to preserve property as open-space, allows the golf course to not pay taxes on the land on which it operates, but state law would still require taxes on other uses at property.
Dorris says after he found the error and notified city council, he was approached on May 25, 2022, by Glover, who allegedly told Dorris “pick a side, your four won’t be here come November” in taking issue with Dorris assessing the club for taxes.
On March 1, 2023, Dorris said he was then called into a scheduled meeting with Glover, with Moody also present. Dorris claims in that meeting that Glover told him that he (Dorris) had the discretion not to tax the property. Moody shook his head in agreement, Dorris says in the lawsuit.
Dorris said he had no discretion to do so under Virginia law, and added that Moody and Glover again insisted he do so. The lawsuit also points out that Glover and Moody received $6,000 and $2,000, respectively, in campaign donations from Elizabeth Manor Golf Investors, II, LLC.
Dorris also said Glover and Moody demanded the assessment for Rivers Casino Portsmouth on March 9, 2023, and allegedly said Dorris could use the building permit values to do so. Dorris said he email council afterward that that was an unreliable method.
Dorris says his refusal to follow Glover and Moody’s “directives to do unlawful acts” led to his termination without cause on March 13, 2023.
Councilman Mark Whitaker was the only present council member to vote against Dorris’ firing. He reached out to the Virginia Department of Taxation related to the golf course, whose review is included in the lawsuit filing.
Portsmouth would go on to vote to appoint former assessor Janey Culpepper to the interim role after Dorris’ filing. She was let go by the city in January of this year after allegations were brought forth that she said were unfounded. City Council then voted 4-3 to appoint controversial assessor candidate Anthony “Tony” George to the role, but the offer was later rescinded.
You can read the full lawsuit below.
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