ROTTERDAM — A law firm hired by the Rotterdam Town Board to investigate workplace misconduct complaints filed by two employees against town Supervisor John Polimeni and town attorney John Mertz has determined the allegations could not be substantiated.
The firm, Capezza Hill of Albany, released a 22-page report last week summarizing its investigation of the complaints filed this year by an assessor, Debra Butler, who claimed she was pressured to step out of her role, and public works coordinator Lisa Gallo, who claimed Polimeni bullied and then demoted her. Most of the report summarizes state and federal statutes governing workplace harassment.
The $38,000 investigation was led by Thomas A. Capezza, a former assistant U.S. attorney who had previously also served as State Police general counsel. Capezza’s report said they interviewed three witnesses — two other witnesses, including the assessor, declined to be interviewed — and reviewed a trove of emails and documents. Upon conclusion, there was no “definitive” finding that proved any claim, Capezza wrote in the final report…