By Joshua Bowling | Arizona Republic
Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson “exercised poor judgment” but never violated the town’s ethics code when dealing with a dispute between a developer and residents, an investigation commissioned by the town has concluded.
Several residents in June filed ethics complaints against Peterson, alleging that she showed favor to a developer who donated to and helped run her mayoral campaign.
The town hired Tucson-based attorney Frank Cassidy to investigate. He said in his Sept. 30 report that Peterson “exercised poor judgment in a few instances, but did not violate the Gilbert Code of Ethics.”
The probe had expanded beyond the hotly contested apartment development to also include claims that the mayor:
Created a “toxic work environment” by saying she had “disdain” for the town’s new logo and discriminating against an employee who worked in the office responsible for it.
Put a Town Council agenda item up for a vote with no prior discussion.
Did not let a resident speak about a consent agenda item at a Town Council meeting in August.
Cassidy cited three instances of poor judgment by Peterson:
