Imagine a job where a shirtless human resources director asks you to feel his pecs and says he made hires based on 8-by-10 photos. Where another high-ranking employee regularly talked about his sexual preferences and being naked at home.

And you could lose your job for complaining.

Two women — Kimberly Wilson and Brandi Bull — sued the city of Rowlett in federal court this week, saying this was their reality. The lawsuits allege that Rowlett violated the Texas Whistleblower Protection Act, allowed sexual harassment and a hostile work environment and retaliated against them for complaining and bringing other problems to the attention of their superiors.

Wilson was the city's chief financial officer and Bull worked in human resources until they were fired last year. The women allege that the men responsible for the untenable situation were human resources director John Murray, Police Chief Mike Broadnax and City Manager Brian Funderburk.

Funderburk said in a brief interview Friday that the city takes allegations of sexual harassment seriously. But he declined to discuss the claims except to say: "We deny any allegation that state and federal laws have been violated."

Broadnax, in an email, said: "I'm not able to speak about anything regarding the lawsuit. I truly wish I could because there is always two sides to every story. Our side will eventually come out through the court system process. I have to follow our attorney's guidelines."

Murray, who no longer works for the city, could not be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Rowlett did not respond to requests for comment. The city has not yet filed a response to the lawsuits. An attorney for the women, Andrea Loveless, did not respond to a request for comment.

Tell me about your sex life

Bull's lawsuit alleges that Murray, her boss, created a hostile work environment and cultivated a culture in which he and other city employees engaged in "numerous instances of sexual harassment."

Murray, the lawsuit says, "would make comments about staff members' breasts and buttocks. Mr. Murray would often tell people that he hired his staff based on their 8x10 pictures. Mr. Murray would walk around with no shirt on and would ask his staff, including Ms. Bull, to touch his pecs and biceps. There were even times when Mr. Murray asked Ms. Bull about her personal sex life."

The lawsuit alleges that Murray gave an employee he was having an affair with a promotion and a raise, "contrary to city policy." Then, the lawsuit alleges, Murray gave more work and hours to Bull and other staff members.

"Issues and concerns were voiced among staff and despite the entire city office knowing about the affair, sexual harassment, workplace harassment, ethics and conflicts of interest, this dysfunctional situation was never addressed," the lawsuit says. "Every day, Ms. Bull lived in fear of retaliation, as Mr. Murray stated several times that he would 'rip the heart out of anyone that crossed him with his bare hands.'"

After a year, in May 2015, the lawsuit says, Bull "complained about the sexual harassment, the hostile work environment and the constant violation of city policy by Mr. Murray." She later met with Funderburk, the suit says, but the city manager was "skeptical of what he was being told and did not want to take any action against Mr. Murray."

The city hired an outside investigator to look into the complaints. The investigation recommended that Murray be fired, according to the lawsuit. Murray retired in May 2015. The lawsuit says he did so to avoid being fired.

Rowlett City Manager Brian Funderburk during a City Council meeting in March 2015. (File Photo / Staff )

'Resentful' city manager

The city manager "was resentful that he was forced to terminate Mr. Murray" and "retaliated against Ms. Bull for her role in the investigation," the lawsuit says.

Then, in July 2015, Funderburk asked Bull and another city employee to take a drug test "after an unnamed coworker allegedly made comments of potential drug use," the lawsuit says. Several city employees had hung out over the weekend at Lake Lewisville. The lawsuit says Bull did not participate in any illegal activity.

The lawsuit contends that Rowlett "had never participated in hearsay drug testing" and that the request was a violation of city policy. Bull and the other employee "were forced to submit to a drug test and polygraph test out of fear of termination and of course passed," the suit says. "Mr. Funderburk's motive for requesting drug testing was clearly retaliatory for Ms. Bull's participation in the investigation of Mr. Murray."

Bull was fired last October and was asked to sign an agreement releasing the city from liability in exchange for one month's salary, the lawsuit says. She refused, and the city said she was fired for "misconduct."

The second lawsuit

Wilson was excelling at her job as CFO, according to a January 2017 evaluation by Funderburk. In it, he said she had "the potential to be one of the best chief financial officers in Texas," according to her lawsuit.

But Wilson alleges in the lawsuit that after she pointed out discrepancies in the budget, "Funderburk became frustrated and angry."

"Mr. Funderburk even blatantly asked Ms. Wilson to 'cover up' or delay informing the city council about these glaring errors," the lawsuit says.

Among the problems Wilson sought to correct was when a radio tower for the city was being built on the wrong land. The lawsuit says the city continued the construction and Funderburk instructed Wilson to "come up with the funding to purchase the correct land." That would cost taxpayers $500,000. The city hired an outside investigator. Wilson, in her lawsuit, alleges that city employees engaged in a "cover up" and "manipulated" a report "to keep the investigation out of the public record."

Wilson says she told city officials, including Funderburk, that this was illegal and unethical. Then she was fired last September for "misconduct."

Rowlett Police Chief Mike Broadnax ( / City of Rowlett)

'That's just who I am'

Wilson's lawsuit alleges that Broadnax, the police chief, frequently talked about sex in front of Wilson and witnesses, "including describing his sexual preferences and being naked at home."

"Ms. Wilson often asked him to stop," the suit says, "but he never did and, on one occasion, he even responded 'that it was too bad if you don't like it — that's just who I am.'"

He also, in front of Wilson, described a woman at a City Council meeting as having "a nice ass."

Wilson, according to the lawsuit, told Broadnax, "You're awful" and walked away. Wilson says she complained to the city manager and was told she was "just anti-public safety."

Separately, when Bull was still employed in HR, she complained that Broadnax had violated city policy by telling a Dallas police officer rumors about a former employee, according to the lawsuit. Wilson, according to the suit, overheard the incident in a Rowlett city office and told the new HR director, Richard Jones. Broadnax was not reprimanded, according to the lawsuit.

Jones did not respond to a request for comment.

Bull also alleges that in 2017, a Rowlett police officer complained about sexual harassment, but she feared retaliation and did not want the Police Department to know she had contacted HR. The lawsuit says Bull wanted Jones to investigate anyway but he refused, "telling Ms. Bull and all HR staff not to mention the incident to anyone."

"Ms. Bull complained to Mr. Jones that the city was obligated to investigate," the suit says, "but again, Mr. Jones refused."

Wilson and Bull are seeking jury trials and unspecified damages.

No court dates have been set.