It appears the tables have turned on Oxford Twp. Treasurer Joe Ferrari.
He now wishes to publicly discuss details regarding employee Patti Durr’s harassment complaint against him at the next regular board meeting.
‘Then you could hear both sides,? Ferrari said. ‘It would be out in public. There’d be no conjecture.?
But Durr does not wish rehash the issue.
‘I thought this thing was actually resolved and done with,? Durr told this reporter. ‘He’s brought it up at the last two board meetings. . .He’s the one making the issue out of it now.?
Durr’s harassment complaint against Ferrari was the subject of a Feb. 12 closed session meeting after which no board action was taken and both sides declined to comment on the issue.
Since then, Ferrari has stated publicly at the last two meetings that his decision to discuss the harassment complaint in closed session was based on ‘poor advice,? which did not come from the township attorney.
‘He’s the one that wanted to bring it into a closed session,? Durr said. ‘It was his choice. I had no choice in that.?
Last week, Ferrari was originally supposed to make a public statement regarding the complaint during the meeting, but instead, based on legal advice, asked the board ‘if they would like to reopen this matter.?
‘This does not need to be a special meeting, it can be a regular agenda topic for April 11,? he said.
Besides the board’s okay, Ferrari must also obtain Durr’s approval to make the closed session issue public.
‘Both parties would have to agree,? Ferrari said. ‘I’ve got a statement. I’d rather do it this way. I think it would be the best way to do it.?
But Durr did not agree to reopen the issue, according to Supervisor Bill Dunn. She told this reporter she considers the matter resolved and just wants to ‘move on.?
In light of Durr’s answer, Ferrari said he will not be making any public statements about the matter.
‘It’s a done issue,? he said.
Dunn and Trustee Sue Bellairs were adamantly opposed to Ferrari making any kind of statement regarding the harassment complaint without Durr’s approval.
‘We’re opening ourselves up to a lawsuit,? Dunn said.
‘I want no part of this statement,? Bellairs said. ‘Anything that comes out of your statement is all on your own time.?
‘Would the attorney fees be all on Joe’s own too?? Dunn asked.
‘As far as I’m concerned,? Bellairs replied. ‘Anything . . . you’re going to bring up after (the issue) was resolved is all on your own dime.?
Resident Helen Barwig agreed.
‘You’re just opening us up for more money to be spent on lawsuit and I think he should be (charged) all the attorney fees that he’s already spent bringing this up,? she said. ‘You spend my money for your selfishness.?
‘We had a closed session on it. It’s over with ? done,? Bellairs declared.
‘Then how did all this information supposedly get leaked?? Ferrari retorted.
Bellairs said it got ‘leaked? because Ferrari had ‘three or four? people attend the Feb. 12 closed session to support him.
‘You had to tell what the problem was so they would come here,? she said.
Besides Durr and her husband, the only other people in the audience for the closed session meeting were Deputy Treasurer Tracy Devereaux, Deputy Clerk Beverly Johnson, Planning Commission/ZBA Coordinator Barb Walkaus and Oxford Village Clerk Christine Burns.
The only audience member allowed to stay inside the meeting room was Durr. The rest waited outside.
‘Who would have ran over to the village and asked the clerk to come over here and support you?? Barwig said. ‘It wasn’t a leak, Joe. It was common sense. It was a reporter standing downstairs with the people talking. Maybe you should ask your deputy? Maybe you should ask Bev? Maybe you should ask other people??
Given the vagueness of how Ferrari’s item was listed on the meeting agenda (‘Statement ? Treasurer Ferrari?), Barwig told officials she was expecting something else.
‘When I read about a statement being made by Joe, I was hoping it would be an apology for harassing whoever you harassed,? she said. ‘That’s what I thought the statement would be ? an apology.?
‘I think that’s presumptuous of you to say that,? Ferrari replied.