A former Fayetteville

city employee's legal action against the city in a two-year-old sexual

harassment case has apparently ended at the federal level.

According to

a statement released Monday by the city, U.S. Magistrate Judge C. Christopher

Hagy issued an order granting summary judgment in favor of the city on

all counts of former Main Street director Sherri Anderson's complaint.

Anderson filed

a formal complaint in January of 2000 against then city manager Michael

Bryant, alleging that Bryant had sexually harassed her and created a hostile

working environment.

A subsequent

investigation by McDonough lawyer Greg Futch was cut short Feb. 17 when

Bryant signed a separation agreement with the city, approved by City Council

the night before. The city agreed to end its investigation, and Bryant

agreed to resign and not to sue the city.

In March of

that year, Anderson's attorney sent a letter to the city offering to forego

litigation for a $125,000 out-of-court settlement.

Anderson filed

her claims in U.S. Magistrate Court Oct. 6, 2000, according to the city's

statement.

"The city

is elated by this decision," said Mayor Kenneth Steele. "We

never believed that there was any validity to these counts and it is unfortunate

that we had to expend taxpayer funds to defend charges that were unfounded,

in our opinion.

"I believe

the fact that Judge Hagy ruled in our favor on all counts demonstrates

that these allegations were frivolous and without merit," Steele

added. "This decision should bring closure to this issue."

Anderson's

complaint contained several counts relating to workplace harassment, City

Manager Joe Morton said Tuesday. A mediation process took place in the

spring of 2000, as required by federal law before any lawsuit could be

filed, he added, and the city never paid Anderson any kind of settlement

relating to her case.