02-05-2025
Fired Bridgeport city manager files civil suit against city
BRIDGEPORT, (WBOY) — Patrick Ford, who was fired from his position as Bridgeport city manager last month, has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging wrongful termination and violations of West Virginia Code.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in the Harrison County Circuit Court on May 2, Ford alleges that several members of Bridgeport City Council, including Mayor Andy Lang and Councilman Clayton Rice, pushed him to take actions and make purchases that benefitted their own personal gain and excluded him and members of the public from meetings where decisions were made on public business, including Ford's employment.
The lawsuit claims that between October 2024 and April 2025, Ford was directed to do many 'odd' things on behalf of the city, and when he refused to do certain things that 'did not sit well with Mr. Ford' and began to learn more details from an internal investigation, he was wrongfully terminated.
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The lawsuit says that the internal investigation that was approved by the city in February due to 'a personnel issue' revealed that 'multiple Councilmembers used their offices for private gain.' Ford says he was repeatedly asked to 'find a way to' purchase property from Mayor Lang on behalf of the city and to approve payments for a private citizen for car parts/damages 'which were not caused by the City.'
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that 'City employees were caught on camera removing banker's boxes of procurement files' around the time of the internal investigation, and that the city and Lang 'have taken substantial steps to cover up/close the investigation – to effectively sweep the investigation under the rug.'
The investigation was canceled by the city prior to Ford's removal.
Ford also claims that prior to his removal from office on April 3, the city council met in an executive session behind closed doors on Feb. 24 and discussed his employment, which the lawsuit says is a violation of the Open Meetings Act. Ford said that throughout his tenure as city manager, he was asked to 'always place an executive session on the City's agenda.'
Ford asks to be reinstated as city manager and compensated for fees and damages and for the city to be fined and Andy Lang be removed as mayor.
You can read the full lawsuit here.
12 News has reached out to Mayor Andy Lang for comment, and this story will be updated when we hear back.
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