The Metropolis of Windsor is swinging again at a former senior administrator who has taken authorized motion claiming wrongful dismissal and corruption at metropolis corridor, calling for the swimsuit to be tossed.
On Tuesday, the town filed its assertion of defence by which it denies all allegations and claims made by Chris Nepszy, the now former Commissioner of Infrastructure Companies for the Metropolis of Windsor.
The town’s defence claims Nepszy “repeatedly failed to satisfy the expectations related to a senior degree management place” and displayed “unsatisfactory competence” in core duties.
The assertion additionally factors to “vital and mounting efficiency issues” shared amongst senior employees and “just about all” councillors which finally led to his firing on November 15, 2023 by Mayor Drew Dilkens utilizing Sturdy Mayor powers.
STATEMENT OF CLAIM
Nepszy’s case was filed in provincial courtroom in Toronto on March 22 in search of $1.55 million in damages.
Chatting with CTV Information on April 9, Nepszy’s lawyer, Howard Levitt, mentioned efforts had been made to come back to a monetary decision with the town following Nepszy’s firing, however the two sides couldn’t attain an settlement.
“They made a wrongfully low supply and haven’t moved very a lot from that,” mentioned Levitt.
The assertion of declare alleges Nepszy was “induced” from his function on the City of Essex and given assurances he can be “groomed” to be the following Chief Administration Officer (CAO) of the town.
The assertion additionally claimed a “top-down tradition of corruption” at metropolis corridor.
The declare additional alleged Nepszy was coerced into “misusing public funds by the town’s management for each private and political acquire” whereas working for the Metropolis of Windsor and alleged Nepszy was instructed to “make sure that the mayor remained joyful” by the then interim CAO, Onorio Colucci.
STATEMENT OF DEFENCE
The town’s assertion of defence refutes all allegations made within the declare and stresses at no time was Nepszy requested to have interaction in unlawful or improper conduct. It additionally contends Nepszy by no means introduced ahead any complaints or concern concerning alleged unlawful or improper conduct.
The town additionally “categorically denies” it closely recruited Nepszy for the place and contends he was one among many people who utilized for the vacant place. The town reviews its contracted recruitment agency, Boyden Canada, recognized Nepszy as a probably certified candidate for the place.
The town claims Boyden solely contacted recognized candidates to inform of the posted place and to find out curiosity.
The town says Nepszy was by no means “pressured” into making use of and moreover particularly denies the declare Nepszy was being “groomed” as a future CAO of the company.
On the query of “top-down corruption” at metropolis corridor, the town calls the declare baseless and with out benefit.
MONTHLY MEETINGS
The town’s filed assertion of defence claims Nepszy’s work habits had been “demonstrating a sample of premature and/or non-responsiveness” to employees and councillors, which prompted month-to-month conferences between Colucci and Nepszy.
The town claims these conferences ran from June 22, 2022 to Might 5, 2023.
The town states Colucci returned as interim CAO following the departure of Jason Reynar, who was terminated from the place, and subsequently met with Nepszy round April 8, 2022 to “talk about the issues he had already been apprised.”
It was then the town claims Colucci “provided steering” to Nepszy regarding the significance of conserving the mayor and council knowledgeable of the continuing issues underneath the purview of the Commissioner of Infrastructure Companies.
The town denies Colucci indicated Nepszy was “too shut” with the outgoing CAO and denies Colucci suggested Nepszy to “preserve the mayor joyful in any respect prices and also you gained’t be a goal.”
The assertion of defence signifies Colucci organized these month-to-month conferences to take “corrective motion” to enhance Nepszy’s efficiency and denies the declare that Nepszy’s multi-million greenback portfolio of labor was ignored.
The town additionally claims it turned clear to senior employees Nepszy “lacked the skillset to make the transition to a bigger, extra complicated group” via his greater than two years within the job.
PARKING TICKETS
Parking ticket allegations had been additionally addressed within the metropolis’s defence.
The town denies any wrongdoing regarding parking tickets and denies the declare councillors requested “favours” to waive parking tickets.
Councillors Fred Francis and Angelo Marignani had been particularly named within the assertion of declare.
The town each denies that Nepszy was ever requested to waive parking tickets for building automobiles concerned within the renovations to their houses and that Nepszy ever made any alleged refusals concerning parking ticket waivers.
Not one of the allegations have been confirmed in courtroom.
