Former Anna Maria treasurer files discrimination, wrongful termination claims
Anna Maria’s former treasurer is levying some hefty allegations against the municipality — and seeking a hefty payout, too.
Tallahassee-based attorney Marie Mattox filed a complaint in the 12th Circuit Court April 9 on behalf of LeAnne Endres seeking more than $100,000 from the city for alleged age and disability discrimination, among other claims.
Former Mayor Dan Murphy hired Endres, whose last name was Addy for the duration of her employment, to serve as city clerk in August 2016 and, in March 2017, she was appointed treasurer. However, Endres’ role was narrowed to treasurer when the city hired Amber LaRowe as city clerk in 2025.
Endres, who has a history of misconduct allegations, was terminated Nov. 17, 2025, without cause by Mayor Mark Short.
The court file includes numerous claims by Endres, often involving the alleged actions of Short and LaRowe, including age and disability discrimination, failure to accommodate under the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act, surveillance of employees, unlawful termination, retaliation for public whistleblowing and opposition to employment practices.
Discrimination claims
Endres, who is 57 and suffers from a chronic autoimmune disorder, claims she was “subjected to disparate treatment, different terms and conditions of employment, and held to a different standard” because of those factors.
She claims she was offended by discriminatory comments allegedly made by Short and LaRowe during an April 10, 2025, meeting regarding the hiring of a finance assistant. Short allegedly “verbally advised that he was ‘looking for someone in their thirties,’ and did not wish to hire anyone old,” while LaRowe “verbally stated, ‘I don’t want an old b*tch in here.’”
Endres claims the city discriminated against her due to her age by granting pay raises to “younger, less qualified employees,” while “continuously” denying her requests for similar compensation.
She also alleges that she submitted an ADA request to Short and LaRowe via email Oct. 28, 2025, for “accommodations for short breaks and minor schedule adjustments, including increased remote work, due to her disability.”
However, Endres claims the city rejected her request, as neither Short nor LaRowe responded to the email or “engage in the interactive process with her,” but other employees worked remotely from home.
Endres’ lawsuit claims that following her ADA request, “she began to experience retaliatory action from LaRowe and Short up until plaintiff’s wrongful termination, including being excluded from meetings, restricted access to software and programs necessary for plaintiff’s job duties.”
One example was her exclusion from a meeting in October 2025 or November 2025 that she had requested to attend remotely via Zoom.
Another example was how “certain system permissions, such as Florida Municipal Insurance software, Florida State Retirement, security camera access, and procedural responsibilities, were modified without formal communication or notice, hindering her ability to perform her job duties.”
Other allegations
Endres also alleges that Short suggested submitting fraudulent claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to finance repairs and that the city used an Apple AirTag to surveil public works general manager Dean Jones.
Endres claims she was with Short and Jones March 25, 2025, when the mayor suggested the city claim multiple items, including a previously damaged seawall, had been damaged by the 2024 hurricanes to seek FEMA funding.
As for employee surveillance, Endres claims she was with LaRowe and code enforcement manager David Dezutter in September 2025 “when they suggested tracking Dean Jones by hiding an AirTag tracking device in his car, without Jones’ knowledge, because they deemed Jones ‘suspicious.’”
Then, in November 2025, Jones told Endres he found an AirTag in his work vehicle and he had filed a complaint with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
She said she relayed that information to Short and LaRowe via email Nov. 17, 2025, and asked for “confirmation that tracking devices or monitoring tools were not being used on any employee.”
Nevertheless, Endres claims that neither Short nor LaRowe acted on or responded to her report and, about five minutes later, she received a termination notice from Short via email.
For each of the nine claims in her lawsuit, Endres seeks lost wages, benefits, emotional distress damages and punitive relief. Her complaint calls for a jury trial.
The case is assigned to Judge Charles Sniffen.
As of May 23, the city had yet to file a response.
Short briefly addressed Endres’ lawsuit during a May 21 interview with The Islander. “We are aware of the complaint,” he said. “We are working with counsel to address it and they will be representing the city through this process. I have been advised not to make any other commentary about the complaint.”