EAST LONGMEADOW – Former interim Town Administrator Gregory Neffinger recently filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the town.

According to the suit filed by Attorney Bradford Martin Jr. on Neffinger’s behalf, Town Council President Kevin Manley made disparaging comments to the press regarding Neffinger’s involvement as the architect for a proposed mosque on Maple Street.

The suit specifically cites a statement from Manley to WWLP reporter Rachel Fazio.

“In making comment [sic] about the potential location of mosque in East Longmeadow, Mr. Manley referenced the fact that the architect for the mosque was Mr. Neffinger and that, ‘Based on the involvement with the town and his history it could bring some people out of the woodwork that wouldn’t normally come out to say something just because he’s involved in it.’ To suggest that the town and its citizens might look with disfavor upon the mosque project because Mr. Neffinger was its architect and his contractual relationship with his client. Even if Mr. Manley’s statements were not intentional he acted with negligence in making such public statements as any reasonable person would construe them as casting a negative light on Mr. Neffinger and thus affecting his relationship, not only with the mosque, but any potential client he might have in the future that may do business in East Longmeadow,” Martin stated. “For the damages suffered by Mr. Neffinger we hereby made [sic] demand upon you in the amount of $250,000.00.”

The lawsuit also alleges that Neffinger’s termination on April 19 by the now-defunct Board of Selectmen represented a breach in contract.

“Accordingly, as of April 13, 2016, the Board of Selectmen were precluded by the charter from terminating Mr. Neffinger,” the lawsuit, dated Oct. 21, reads. “Based on these facts, Mr. Neffinger is entitled to employment and compensation from April. 19, 2016 to July 1, 2016.

“In addition, it is our position that the employment agreement dated April 11, 2016 that was approved by and signed by the selectmen was a valid contract and pursuant to Section 9. D. Mr. Neffinger could only be terminated for just cause only after being given notice and a hearing under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A, Section 21,” the suit states. ‘In addition, Mr. Neffinger was not provided notice of a hearing and was not presented with a list of complaints or charges against him. Under the terms of the permanent employment contract Mr. Neffinger was entitled to two month’s severance pay from July 1, 2016.”

The contract in question was signed by Neffinger and former Selectmen William Gorman and Angela Thorpe to hire Neffinger as a permanent town administrator on April 11, but Town Counsel James Donahue said it was his opinion that hiring Neffinger to the position was in violation of the Open Meeting Law. In Donahue’s opinion the listing of “town administrator’s contract” on the agenda was insufficient notice for the Open Meeting Law.

The lawsuit also states that former Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Federici, now vice president of the Town Council, “acted in such a way as to negligently and/ or intentionally defame Mr. Neffinger by publishing to the public that Mr. Neffinger was somehow involved in in appropriate or illegal activity. As a result of the actions of Mr. Federici, Mr. Neffinger was subject to public ridicule and the loss of his employment causing the infliction of emotional distress by the negligent and or intentional acts of Mr. Federici.”

Federici stated on March 9 that he went to the Attorney General’s Office alleging that former Springfield City Council President Francis Keough III, who served a three-year sentence in federal prison for swindling funds in 2007 from the Friends of the Homeless while he served as head of the nonprofit organization, approached him about supporting former West Springfield Police Capt. Daniel O’Brien in becoming East Longmeadow’s next police chief and for Neffinger to be hired as permanent town administrator in exchange for a finance position in East Longmeadow Town Hall.

“Keough denied making the statements to Federici,” the lawsuit states. “Mr. Neffinger has no knowledge of such a conversation and did not directly or indirectly, initiate, suggest or encourage any such conversation.”

Manley told Reminder Publications he believes the lawsuit is “laughable.”

He added, “On the face of it, in my opinion, its just another attempt of [Neffinger] to make more accusations against the town … It is laughable in my opinion. He just drags on issues or is trying to make issues were there aren’t any.”

Neffinger received 10 days of pay from the town after his termination, which amounts to more than $3,000, Manley said.

He added the town has yet to respond to the lawsuit and has six months until it would need to submit a response.

“We actually have some time to really delve into it and refute each and every accusation that he’s making,” Manley said.