Following an emergency board of trustees meeting Friday afternoon, the village of Weedsport on Saturday terminated the public works employee who had filed a harassment and workplace violence complaint against the mayor’s son last year.
The decision is the latest development in a story that has unfolded since December, when Carson DiRisio, now 22, filed a workplace violence and sexual harassment claim against former village Department of Public Works Superintendent James Saroodis, Mayor Jean Saroodis’ son. In February, James was placed on paid leave after the Bond, Schoeneck & King law firm finalized an investigation of the claim. With some of DiRisio’s allegations substantiated, James ultimately agreed to resign from his job of 23 years with several weeks of continued pay, health insurance and additional monetary and professional benefits negotiated in a voluntary separation and resignation agreement approved by the village in April.
DiRisio was also fired by the village that month, for a matter of days, because she hadn’t obtained a commercial driver’s license. The board then rescinded the decision and gave her time to obtain the CDL. After, she obtained her CDL and was hired as the village’s first full-time female DPW employee.
