Henry Domurad, Jr. will report to work as usual Monday, even though his boss at City Hall said he quit two weeks ago.
Dormurad, the city’s finance director, alleges a letter of resignation attributed to him and placed on file in Derby City Hall is a fraud and was not signed by him — and that Mayor Anthony Staffieri actually fired him in a meeting at the end of the work day April 12.
Domurad’s attorney has requested the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office Financial Crimes Bureau investigate the matter.
Click here for a previous story, which includes the suspect letter.
Staffieri denies the allegations — and city attorney Joseph Coppola said a hand-writing expert was in City Hall Thursday for four hours examining Domurad’s alleged letter of resignation, comparing it to 35 other city documents signed by Domurad.
They all share a “common authorship,” the hand-writing expert said, according to Coppola.
“Obviously, there is a difference of opinion here,” said John M. Gesmonde, Domurad’s attorney.
Watch Coppola’s statement to the Derby Aldermen. Article continues after the video:
Fired Or Quit?
If, in fact, Staffieri fired Domurad, he would have needed the approval of the Board of Aldermen, as per the Derby City Charter, Domurad’s attorney and city Democrats pointed out.
The Domurad controversy led to a tense Aldermen meeting Thursday night. Elected officials were supposed to consider hiring former mayor and one-time Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Schlesinger as Domurad’s interim replacement.
But the majority of Aldermen — four Democrats and Art Gerckens, an independent — would have none of it.
They threw their support behind Domurad, saying he is still the city’s finance director.
Domurad was hired in 2008 with the endorsement of Staffieri, a Republican, even though Domurad was a prominent Democrat.
“Mr. Domurad said he did not write the letter of resignation and until this matter is cleared up I believe Mr. Domurad, in my opinion, is still the head of the finance department,” said Alderman Carmen DiCenso, a Democrat.
Domurad sat in the front row of the audience Thursday, with 50 people behind him — and another 10 or so in the hallway since the room couldn’t legally hold more people.
Many people were there to support Domurad.
“This board does not recognize any suspect resignation or firing,” Ron Sill, Aldermanic president, told his fellow officials. “Therefore, Mr. Domurad is still the finance director for the City of Derby.”
Watch Sill’s statement below. Article continues after the video:
Coppola, citing a possible criminal investigation and the potential of a civil lawsuit from Domurad, repeatedly advised the Board of Aldermen not to talk about the situation.
They didn’t listen.
“A letter of resignation has been submitted — and it’s been proven,” Staffieri said, triggering two people sitting in the audience to say “it has not.”
Watch the video to see an exchange between Staffieri and DiCenso, followed by a vote. Story continues after the video:
Alderman Stephen Iacuone made a motion to his fellow elected officials that they “not accept Mr. Domurad’s resignation letter.”
“You are exposing the city,” Coppola advised.
In the end, board voted 5 – 3 to not accept Domurad’s resignation letter. The appointment of Schlesinger then fell by the wayside.
Coppola said the city consulted earlier Thursday with James L. Streeter, a retired “Forensic Questioned Document and Imprints/Impressions Examiner” with the state police forensic lab. Click here for Streeter’s website.
Streeter determined Domurad’s signature on the alleged resignation letter was of the “same authorship” as previous documents signed by Domurad.
Coppola said the original resignation letter has been handed over to an investigator with the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office in anticipation of a criminal probe.
A written report from Streeter will also be given to investigators, Coppola said.
Article continues after the photo gallery:
After the meeting, Gesmonde, Domurad’s attorney, said his client simply wants his job back.
“The next step is for Mr. Domurad to report to City Hall, where he works,” Gesmonde said. “Henry loves working here. The Board of Aldermen took the reins of this government and did the right thing.”
Domurad normally doesn’t work Fridays, which is why his first day back is scheduled for Monday.
After the meeting, Staffieri said he couldn’t say much, based on the advice of Coppola, the attorney.
“This is all politics. It is the most absurd thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Staffieri said.
