Final Agreement - And Bill - In On Mayor Maturo Sex Harass Case

EAST HAVEN, CT - A conference with the court to discuss the settlement of a sexual harassment lawsuit by a former employee against East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. scheduled for Friday morning has been called off.

Instead, the lawyers on both side have come to agreement - which means that the recent $175,000 and lifetime medical benefits agreed to previously in a settlement for the employee and her husband will be paid.

The settlement - and the calling off of Friday's conference - was confirmed by ex employee's Francine Carbone's lawyer, Rachel Baird, on Thursday night.

Before the last minute settlement the two parties had requested a conference with the court on Friday, which in layman's terms, means the two sides were having difficulty finalizing the terms of the settlement agreement.

The town of East Haven's taxpayers are liable for the payments.

Several members of the public recently appeared before the Town Council, expressing their unhappiness about the settlement - and the fact that taxpayers and not Maturo are liable for the legal bills.

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.