Under Investigation, Longtime East Haven Town Assessor Retires

EAST HAVEN, CT — Under investigation by the town for "workplace matters," Patch has learned that longtime Town Assessor Michael Milici submitted a request to retire Monday.

Official sources told Patch that Milici's departure came as witnesses were being interviewed as part of the town's probe and, after learning that a "second investigation was under way that the town was recently made aware of."

Town Attorney Michael Luzzi said Milici submitted a request to retire effective immediately. Patch made a public access to information request for his letter.

Mayor Carfora accepted Milici’s request per the attached letters that were FOIA d by the Patch. When asked for comment Town Attorney Michael Luzzi simply stated “the investigation, while unfinished, has ended.” When asked to comment on information that the Patch had received from sources that Milici had not even been interviewed - attorney Luzzi stated that he had no comment. Assistant Town Attorney David Ryan who was tasked with conducting the investigation, refused to comment.

The initial investigation that led to Milici being placed on leave came after he told finance board members his staff worked overtime without being paid.

In a letter obtained by Patch via the Freedom of Information Act sent to Milici in early March by East Haven Chief Administrative Officer Ray Baldwin, it was noted that the decades-long assessor was also being investigated about other "workplace issues," that officials have so far declined to identify.

Milici was told that he must not to report to work, perform any work or conduct any business for the town, and not "retaliate against any Town employee" or "hinder or attempt to hinder the investigation and/or influence the statements made by employees if interviewed." He's also prohibited from "speaking about anything related to this investigation to individuals who may be interviewed or anyone in the Mayor's administration, including the Mayor. "

Luzzi was asked last week to further comment on the details of investigation he declined, but said a “union member being placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation is standard, and appropriate labor procedure.”

Early Tuesday, Luzzi said that with Milici's leaving, the town's investigation, "while unfinished" ends. Milici was not yet interviewed as part of that investigation, Patch was told. Luzzi declined to comment. And he also declined to comment on any other investigation.

According to a town official who declined to be identified, statements made by Milici necessitated “an immediate investigation” because they raised issues of whether he violated federal and state wage laws concerning overtime pay.

Patch was told that the town learned about an unrelated investigation not related “paid leave, but is simply coincidental in timing.”

The overtime issue that prompted the probe is to determine if employee rights, union contract and labor statutes were violated.

Milici told the Board of Finance that two full-time staffers have had to work overtime for which they were not paid. He told the board he wanted a clerk position restored from part to full time. He said his department's "work load was skewed due to COVID-19," over the past year and that a full-time person is needed to handle the influx of calls to the assessor's department, and said that given 2021 is a revaluation year, he urged the board to restore the post to full-time. He said the revaluation will cost $327,000 and he expects a "marked increase" in work load to complete the reval by January 2022.

Milici said staffers have been "stressed to the limit" and noted that two staff members have worked additional hours to get work done "without pay," adding "morale-wise this will be very detrimental."

Town assistant director of administration Michelle Benivegna told Patch last month that she was never told staffers were so overworked they needed to work overtime and then were not paid for that time adding when she learned that it was a "concern" as it was the "first time hearing" about the issue.

Read the original story here.

Patch was told that “these matters could expose the town to liability” under federal law for up to three years.

East Haven Assistant Town Attorney David Ryan was handling the town side of the investigation as it relates to labor issues. His firm’s practice focuses on labor law issues. Ryan will not comment on Milici's resignation.

Attempts by Patch to reach Milici for comment via a listed phone number were unsuccessful.

Here is his letter to the town.

Milici letter by Ellyn Santiago

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