A lawyer said Henry Domurad did not resign as Derby’s finance director — and the resignation letter released by Derby City Hall is fake.
“Every word in that instrument, and his signature, were falsely written,” said Domurad’s attorney, John M. Gesmonde.
Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri flatly denied the accusations Monday.
“That’s a total lie, and if I have to, I will hire a letter forensic expert and have it analyzed,” Staffieri said.
Domurad’s Departure
According to Gesmonde, Domurad was fired April 12.
Staffieri asked Domurad to “clean out his office and give to you his keys to City Hall,” Gesmonde wrote in a letter to the mayor dated April 18.
Staffieri has a different recollection: “He submitted his letter of resignation and I accepted.”
Gesmonde’s April 18 on the matter letter is posted below. Article continues after the document.
Click here to read the Valley Indy’s original story.
According to Gesmonde, after being fired April 12, Domurad came to Derby City Hall April 13 to get his “termination letter.”
Domurad allegedly received a two-sentence letter from Staffieri that read: “Henry, Your Employment Contract has not been renewed and your letter of resignation has been accepted. I thank you for your service and wish you well in his (sic) future.”
Domurad scribbled a hand-written response on the letter, which reads: “Mayor, let it be known that I did not resign. You said that I was not working out.”
The Resignation Letter
On April 13, Staffieri’s office e‑mailed a copy of Domurad’s resignation letter to the Valley Independent Sentinel, after the Valley Indy submitted a Freedom of Information request.
Domurad’s letter said he was resigning because of pressing personal responsibilities.
The letter is posted below. Article continues after the document:
Domurad did not know about his alleged letter of resignation until later in the day April 13, when his daughter e‑mailed him a copy of the Valley Indy article that included the letter, according to Gesmonde.
But the resignation letter is not real, Gesmonde said.
“Not only was this letter used as a basis for Mr. Domurad’s termination from office, but whoever is responsible for writing it, or possessing it knowing it to be forged, is subject to being charged with a felony,” Gesmonde’s letter to Staffieri said.
The attorney said he is gathering information to give to the financial crimes bureau of the Chief State’s Attorney Office.
Why on Earth would City Hall send out a fake document?
“I don’t know why they would send that out or who sent it,” Gesmonde said.
Meanwhile, Staffieri said not only is the resignation letter real — he watched Domurad sign the resignation letter in front of him at the end of the work day on April 12.
Staffieri also said Domurad’s employment contract with Derby had recently expired.
“He was an at-will employee and he was going day-to-day, month-to-month,” Staffieri said.
Gesmonde said Domurad’s three-year contract had been “subject to renewal” since Nov. 17, 2011.
The mayor said the accusations will be handled by city attorneys.
“With him (Domurad) putting it into the hands of an attorney, I can’t really say much about it,” Staffieri said.
A message seeking comment was left with Derby Corporation Counsel Joseph Coppola late Monday afternoon.
Reaction
Domurad’s departure earlier this month sent shock waves through City Hall. The allegations being made by Domurad and his attorney are disturbing, said Ron Sill, president of the Derby Board of Aldermen.
“If you know Henry, he would not lie,” Sill said.
Both Sill and fellow Democratic Alderman Carmen DiCenso said Staffieri has kept them in the dark on Domurad’s departure.
Meanwhile former Derby Mayor Alan Schlesinger has been filling Domurad’s position. Schlesinger was the city’s finance director immediately prior to Domurad’s hiring in 2008.
Sill said if Staffieri wanted to fire Domurad, the matter should have been brought to the Board of Aldermen, per the City Charter.
Schlesinger’s service also needs to come to the Aldermen for approval, Sill said.
“There is a total disregard for the City Charter. You can’t just hire someone. You have to get approvals,” Sill said. “The mayor is not telling anyone anything.”
Sill said the finance director’s position has been added to the agenda of the April 26 Board of Aldermen meeting. The item is up for an executive session discussion, if need be.
Executive sessions are meetings closed to the public. They are allowed when talking about litigation or specific personnel matters.
Staffieri nominated Domurad as finance director in October 2008. The Board of Aldermen voted in favor of the appointment.
Prior to his employment as finance director, Domurad served on the Derby Board of Apportionment and Taxation for 16 years. Fourteen of those years were as the board’s chairman.
Domurad is not filing a lawsuit or labor claim against the city — yet. His attorney said Domurad is waiting to see what happens with the Board of Aldermen Thursday.
“More to the point, he would like to remain as director of finance and I think the matter belongs in the lap of the Board of Aldermen,” Gesmonde said.
Additional reporting by Jodie Mozdzer.
