A former Red Oak city administrator is suing the City of Red Oak and several city officials, alleging sex discrimination, wage discrimination, and retaliation under the Iowa Civil Rights Act — and she’s asking for a jury trial.
Court documents show Kyra Smith filed the petition in Iowa District Court for Montgomery County against the City of Red Oak, along with Mayor Shawna Silvius and council members Tim Fridolph and Brian Bills. The lawsuit says Smith was hired by the city as City Administrator on May 1st of 2023 and claims she was later treated differently because she is a woman, denied pay increases, and ultimately forced out.
According to the filing, Smith says she grew up in Red Oak and took the job to serve the community, but at the time her husband continued working in Kansas until he could find comparable work closer to Red Oak. The petition claims the city’s required residency rule meant Smith lived in Red Oak during her employment, while her husband remained out of state for work.
In the lawsuit, Smith alleges that in September 2023, Council Member Brian Bills told her husband she would never get a raise because she already made too much money “for a woman.” The petition also claims Smith was paid less than male city administrators in comparable Iowa communities.
The filing states that during a December 2023 performance review, the focus shifted heavily to Smith’s personal life rather than job performance — including criticism that her husband was not living in Red Oak and pressure to move her family. The petition further alleges she was denied the city’s typical six-month raise and also denied a cost-of-living increase she says was promised when she accepted the job, to take effect in July 2023.
The lawsuit also describes a March 2024 incident tied to a transportation preconstruction conference. Smith says she joined a video meeting and discovered other invitees — described as men — were gathered together in person at the Montgomery County Emergency Operations Center, while she was not included in that in-person group. The petition says she complained that the exclusion was discriminatory, and afterward, she claims city leaders confronted her in an unannounced meeting and pressured her to apologize for raising concerns.
Smith also alleges she reported that a city department head had told her he did not respect her as a woman and challenged her authority. The petition claims Mayor Silvius acknowledged sexism existed, but then admonished Smith for reporting it, and that Smith was told opposing discrimination would make things worse.
The lawsuit says the situation escalated into what Smith describes as undermining her role and authority — and that she was constructively discharged, resigning on April 15th, 2024. It also alleges that on May 6th, 2024, the city hired a male wastewater superintendent at a starting salary $20,000 higher than Smith’s salary, even though that position reported to the city administrator.
Procedurally, the petition says Smith filed a civil rights charge with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission on November 8th, 2024, and the commission issued a right-to-sue letter on October 30th, 2025.
As for what she’s seeking: Smith is asking for a judgment that would “fully and fairly” compensate her — including claims for lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, and other damages allowed under law, along with attorney fees, costs, and interest, plus any equitable or injunctive relief the court deems appropriate. The petition does not list a specific dollar amount, but it does demand a jury trial.
