East Haven Council Meets For 1st Time Since Maturo Sex Settlement

EAST HAVEN, CT - The Town Council will be meeting this Tuesday for the first time since Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. settled a sex harassment lawsuit for $175,000 against a former town employee and Democratic Town Chairman Marc Conte, Sr. is hoping that settlement will be up for discussion and that residents will be in attendance asking questions.

On his Facebook page, Conte had this to say:

“This Tuesday at 7:00PM is the East Haven Town Council Meeting. I implore you to get there and voice your opinion to the council on the recent ruling on the Maturo Sexual Harassment Lawsuit.

“Remember this is not just about misconduct but about the residents having to pick up this tab. It is not right and it is our hardworking taxpayer money. Money that could be used for more important infrastructure enhancements. The meeting will be held at the East Haven Senior Center. Come out and bring your neighbor.”

Asked why he posted on Facebook, Conte elaborated.

“I think it is crucial the residents go to the meeting. Ensure that their voices are heard on this topic. This should also be transparent process by which the residents questions are answered. This is one of the most expensive trials that never happened? The public has the right to understand what they are paying for?”

Conte is already on record as saying he thinks Maturo, a Republican, should resign and pay the $175,000 settlement to Francine Carbone himself, not have it paid by town taxpayers.

Conte has said he would filing an Freedom of Information request for all bills related to the settlement. He said he wouldn't be surprised if the taxpayers wind up paying $500,000 or more for the settlement when all the bills are totaled, including legal fees.

Maturo has responded to Conte's words with his own statement, which said in part:

"The Town has not suffered an adverse judgment and I have done absolutely nothing wrong. Quite oppositely, I have sought only to safeguard the Town in the best ways I know possible from both embarrassment and financial liability," said Maturo. "Despite Mr. Conte's partisan antics, there is no basis, in law or in logic, to demand my resignation or that I bear the burden of attorney's fees associated with any of Mrs. Carbone's actions against the Town."

In 2015, former Town Hall secretary Carbone filed a lawsuit, claiming she faced a continual pattern of harassment from Maturo, including inappropriate remarks and obscene gestures, since her employment began in January 1997. During one incident in 2013, Carbone claims Maturo exposed himself in her office.

From Jan. 25, 1997, to Oct. 17, 2014, Carbone was employed by the town. In October of 2014 she was fired.
According to the lawsuit, Maturo continually made comments regarding Carbone's body.

The complaint also alleges that Maturo grabbed his crotch in front of Carbone and in front of a town official.

The incident that Carbone first made involved Maturo allegedly exposing himself to her while she bent down to file documents in a cabinet. Carbone alleges that Maturo's behavior made her working conditions "intolerable," causing "severe emotional distress.

Carbone also filed a Family Medical Leave Act lawsuit, alleging the Maturo administration retaliated against her for taking medical leave.

She lost that case.

Recently, a second East Haven resident told Patch that she, too, had continually been sexually harassed by Maturo.

Roxanne Melillo, who ran on a ticket with Maturo in 2011, said she was continually harassed by Maturo.

Meanwhile, an East Haven resident who started an online petition calling for Maturo’s resignation has garnered more than 400 signatures.

Photo by Jack Kramer