Due to allegations of sexual orientation discrimination and retribution for reporting a hostile work environment, a municipal tax collector in Lancaster County is suing the governing body of her township.
The tax collector for East Cocalico Township, Jill Cordan, also claims that the township has stripped her of her duties in order to reduce the commission she received by almost $30,000.
East Cocalico Township, former Township Manager Tommy Ryan, and Township Supervisor Chairman Jeffrey Mitchell are all named in the case as conspirators against Cordan.
According to the lawsuit, which did not specify the location of the alleged comments, Mitchell stated in public in March 2024, “We need to get Jill out of the building because she is a lesbian and lives with a woman.”
When PennLive contacted Mitchell on Wednesday, he refused to confirm or refute the quotation and declined to comment on the case.
In February, Ryan left his position as township manager. Rich Sichler, the township’s acting manager, confirmed Ryan’s resignation but made no other comments. Ryan was not immediately reachable by PennLive.
Township solicitor Matthew Creme Jr. stated that although the township is aware of the case, he is unable to comment on its allegations because he has not yet been served.
After Cordan was elected tax collector in 2022, she claimed Mitchell accused her of wrongdoing because of her participation in the police pension committee. According to the lawsuit, he also disseminated reports that she and another individual broke into the township office in order to change township records.
According to online court records, Cordan has never faced criminal charges in Pennsylvania.
According to the lawsuit, Cordan later formally complained about Mitchell, along with Financial Administrator Judy Loomis and Police Chief Derrick Kepply, for creating a hostile work environment.
After thereafter, Cordan received a letter from the township’s hired legal company requesting that she carry out specific tasks that she had already completed and that Board Chairman Lorenzo Bonura had given his approval for.
According to the lawsuit, the letter was written as an intimidation technique to quiet the plaintiff, prevent her from exercising her right to free expression, and prevent her from complaining about Mitchell in the future.
Later, the municipality filed a lawsuit against Cordan, requesting that a judge order her to carry out her responsibilities. An uncomfortable peace between Cordan and the municipality was solidified in November 2024 when the issue was resolved with a 20-paragraph ruling.
This spring, Cordan entered the Republican primary to run for reelection.
According to the lawsuit, the East Cocalico Republican Committee accused her of mismanaging her office and receiving over 100 complaints against her in mailers delivered to registered Republicans five days prior to the primary.
The primary was a landslide loss for her.
According to the lawsuit, the township is also accused of deleting all video records of public meetings that could support several of Cordan’s accusations against the township. After that, the municipality started posting fresh films to its YouTube channel.
Cordan charges the defendants with the following in total:
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Retaliation in violation of the First Amendment
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Deliberate indifference in violation of the First Amendment
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Violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
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Civil conspiracy
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Denial of equal rights under the law
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Conspiracy to interfere with civil rights
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Intentional infliction of emotional distress
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Negligent infliction of emotional distress
In addition to other pain and suffering, Cordan is requesting damages for emotional distress, humiliation, and loss of life enjoyment.
She is also looking for financial losses.
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