Public Asks East Haven Council For Answers on Maturo’s Sex Case

EAST HAVEN, CT - A reluctant Town Council listened this week to many members of the public who came to its meeting to ask questions about Mayor Joe Maturo’s recent $175,000 settlement of a sexual harassment lawsuit against a former town employee.

Many members of the public came to the Council meeting to complain about the settlement and ask questions of the council about it, but weren’t allowed to speak - until Democratic Council member Joseph Carfora introduced a motion to allow the public to speak about the settlement.

The Republican members of the council, who are the majority, immediately called a caucus according to Carfora. It was only after the caucus ended, Carfora told Patch, that the GOP members of the council went along with him and the other Democrats and voted to allow the public to speak about Maturo’s case.

Here is what Carfora had to say about the events.

“I made a motion to add to the agenda to have the public speak in a public forum to the Town Council on the actions of the mayor to hear their reactions and concerns to the recent lawsuit settlement. I faced opposition from the Town Council chairman Ken McKay and some of the Republican Town Council members.

“I think they were caught off guard because there was a slight ruckus amongst them and so I decided to make a second motion to have a vote of no confidence against the mayor amongst the members and it was at that point when Mr. McKay called a Republican caucus which upset me more because now they had to vote to let the public speak.

“It was very clear that most of the Republican members of the Town Council did not want the public to speak. I made it clear that our government body represents the taxpayers of East Haven and not Mr. Maturo,” Carfora added.

Carfora said that McKay made it clear to the public that he would allow them to speak but that the council could not answer any questions or state any positions on the settlement - since the case is still in litigation.

Several members of the public then did speak to the council, expressing their unhappiness about the settlement - and the fact that taxpayers and not Maturo are liable for the legal bills.

Meanwhile, Democratic Town Chairman Marc 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.