Village: 2 lawsuits by former Carpentersville administrators are meritless 'witch hunt'
Carpentersville officials have fired back against two lawsuits filed by the former village manager and former human resources director, calling the litigation meritless and a "witch hunt."
Former Village Manager Mark Rooney sued last year, and former HR Director John Monteleone filed a federal lawsuit this month arguing he was fired in retaliation for investigating alleged "vulgar and gender-specific comments" made by Village President John Skillman in August 2017.
Village Manager Eric Johnson wrote in an email that the wrongful termination lawsuit by Monteleone was without merit and the village will "vigorously defend itself."
"The allegations about the Village President (John Skillman) and other staff are an attempt to manipulate incomplete or inaccurate facts to suggest a wrongdoing that simply does not exist," read part of Johnson's email. "For example, the person who is alleged to have triggered the investigation about the village president has already stated and restated that she was never personally offended by and never made a complaint about the village president."
Monteleone's lawsuit argues he was fired in retaliation for investigating repeated comments alleged to have been made by Skillman about a trustee and another trustee's spouse.
The lawsuit argues that Monteleone was fired in April 2018 after he refused to sign an affidavit that falsely stated that Rooney left his post as village manager and the village attorney was trying to "whitewash" Monteleone's initial report about what Skillman said.
Johnson also said Monteleone told two village officials that the investigation about Skillman's alleged comments was a "witch hunt" instigated by Rooney, who also is suing the village and has the same attorney as Monteleone.
Patrick Walsh, attorney for Rooney and Monteleone, has declined to comment on the case and did not respond when he was emailed Johnson's statement.
Johnson also said Monteleone was already leaving his position and was tasked with finding his own replacement.
Rooney's lawsuit is next due in Kane County court on Sept. 25; the next court date for Monteleone's lawsuit in federal court was not immediately available.