While we wait for a statement from Mayor Joseph Fisona about the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) Suit, this latest legal tangle is making headlines in the larger media markets. The Baltimore Sun moved the story yesterday along with this citizen journalism site as we picked up the agency press release. Baltimore radio station WBAL & other joined in today.
Someone Noticed has made another request for information from the mayor or other officials. As we work on an update, we hope to include the Fisona administration’s position since there are lots of rumors floating around and we have quotes from other sources directly involved in the matter.
This is an age discrimination suit brought by the EEOC on behalf of Andrew (Andy) P. Johnson, former assistant town administrator, who was dismissed because he was 70, the federal agency alleges. The EEOC pleadings, providing a great deal of detail, shows says that Andy’s performance was rated as “excellent at all times” by his supervisor. When Andy came to the town, bringing years of municipal and military experience to the position, he was widely recognized as bringing a fresh, friendly attitude toward serving the public.
The case has been getting tried in the Elkton rumor mill for some time now as it first appeared the town was willing to enter into a negotiated settlement, but that fell apart at the last moment. That caused the matter to be transferred to a specialty practice and it is now being handled by Kevin Karpinski with the firm of Karpinski, Colaresi & Karp. This attorney is familiar with Elkton public policy practices since he has represented the town in other legal proceedings, such as as the one involving the American Civil Liberties Union. In that suit the town settled with the homeless, after it bulldozed their campsite, destroying personal possession. The firm specializes in defense of liability claims for the “political community” and its area of expertise includes civil rights law, according to web site. A week or two ago, Elkton employees and officials involved in the case were brought into the town hall for interviews about the matter, as it moves into the federal court system.
Look for additional updates on this story.
How many law suits has the town of Elkton been involved in? It seems as if they have a problem with their attorney or with town policies.
Joan:
They’ve been involved in a lot and a number of them got absolutely no press or ink. Sounds as if that would make an intersting story once all this other news settles down.