FORT PIERCE – A dispute that allegedly began with a $14,000 unpaid credit card bill and a paid administrative leave for Fort Pierce Finance Director Johnna Morris has snowballed into a $200,000 claim for damages against the city and a call for City Attorney Sara Hedges’ potential firing.

Morris’ attorney Denise Mutamba, of West Palm Beach, informed City Manager Richard Chess of Morris’ settlement demands on April 28, giving the city until May 4 to respond before threatening legal action for expanded damages.

Morris has alleged that Hedges violated due process, privacy rights and federal employment law when the city attorney launched an investigation after the city received a garnishment court order to withhold approximately $1,300 from each of Morris’ bi-weekly paychecks until a personal $14,143.61 unpaid credit card debt was satisfied.

Mutamba claims Hedges “launched an invasive and unprecedented response” to the garnishment order, disclosing Morris’ personal financial information to each city commissioner and “recommended Ms. Morris’ immediate termination,” plus a forensic audit of Morris.

A check of St. Lucie County court records show Morris, whose annual city salary is about $180,000, has had several collection actions filed against her since the early 2000s, most recently three in 2025. Public records show she defaulted on a bank credit card in January 2025 and was ordered to pay about $7,600 in charges, late fees, interest and court costs. That settlement ordered her to pay 77 monthly payments of $100 through October 2031.

Another default order was entered in April 2025, when Morris was ordered to pay $3,729.61, including $1,887 of credit card charges, $985 of interest and $481 in late fees.

The garnishment case that set off the employment fracas resulted in a judgment in January for $14,343.61 to JPMorgan Chase. But when only $200 had been paid to settle the account by late February, another order was issued, this time to have the city remit $1,321 of Morris’ bi-weekly $6,870.44 paycheck to the bank.

Hedges handling of the disciplinary call had raised questions among city commissioners who became aware of a federal law that prohibits employers from taking disciplinary action against an employee after a single garnishment. If there were more circumstances behind her recommendation, the city has not aired them thus far, including to requests for comment today.

The matter also created friction between Chess and Hedges, both of whom are charter employees who are hired by and report directly to the city commission.

Chess claimed Hedges had thwarted him from seeking outside counsel to look at the issue when the matter of Morris’ employment status first arose. City commissioners had sidestepped having a conversation about the charter job roles while the threat of litigation existed.

In the demand for settlement letter, Morris’ attorney also asks for:

• A written, public apology from the city to be read at a commission meeting and published in a local media outlet, “acknowledging the improper conduct and clearing Ms. Morris’ name.

• Removal of any record of Morris’ April 13-16 leave from her personnel file.

• Reimbursement of legal fees.

• Hedges’ recusal from the matter and hiring an outside employment attorney to negotiate for the city.

• Restoring the role of payroll in handling garnishments confidentially.

“Because it is now a legal matter, I have no comment at this time,” said Morris, an 18-year city employee, when contacted today by Hometown News. “It has been very stressful, and I am praying this will be over sooner rather than later.”

Chess, Hedges and Kaitlyn Ballard, city communications manager, did not respond to requests today for comment. Mutamba also did not reply by press time.