Discrimination Complaint Filed with EEOC and NYS Human Rights Commission
“Stay Away from Trustee Natchez“
Village of Mamaroneck Manager Jerry Barberio has filed a discrimination complaint against his employer, and Village Trustee Dan Natchez, who he alleges “ongoing retaliation for having opposed sexual advances by one of the Village Trustess, Daniel Natchez.” Barberio, who is married, claims that when he first started working for the Village he was commuting from New Jersey, while in the process of moving his familly.
Natchez offered his spare bedroom as a place for Barberio to “sleep over.” When Barberio politiely declined, Natchez offered again for Barerio to “sleep over,” and that it when Barberio thought things started to get creepy.
According to the complaint, which can be found at the following link –https://www.themamaroneckproject.com/_files/ugd/782b32_21bf4ac8e42045cbb0cc1efc0a59eb0e.pdf
“Trustee Natchez was very interested in about where i was staying..both incidents were very inappropriate and uncomfortable…despite my initial rejection, he persisted in making the advances again. I reported the unwanted advances to Mayor Tom Murphy, who advised me to just “stay away” from Trustee Natchez.”
Barberio was so creeped out by Natchez’s advances that he cancelled a lunch meeting with him on several occassions but finally agreed because, “I felt pressure from him to meet.”
At the lunch meeting, Natchez moved from inquiring about having a sleep over to telling Barerio to “back off” a certain Village employee who was “under investigation for theft of time.” Barberio advised the other trustees about this incident, which is important if there is a paper trail and if this case ends up going to trial.
The most damning part of the report is when Barberio writes, “On Sept. 7, 2020 I received a police report regarding disturbing behavior in a public park towards children. The complaint was from the mother of a young child who is a resident in the village alleging that an older man was taking pictures at the Harbor Island Park Playground. I learned that the older man was Trustee Natchez, and upon information and belief, he had utilized his influence as Police Commissioner to avoid formal charges. ..an investigation was started by the Westchester County District Attorney’s office on Dec. 7, 2020. ..The evidence submitted to the Village and Westchester County included photographs and video footage depitcing Mr. Natchez walking along the beach taking photos of small children in bathing suits/bikinis….I urged the board members to ‘deal with the issue.’ I learned from Deputy Mayor Wenstrup that Mr. Natchez was previously warned about that very disturbing behavior approximately 10 years ago,” states Barberio in his complaint to the NYS Human Rights Commission and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC.
Barberio alleges that Natchez used his friends to lodge hundreds of complaints at board meetings and filed unnecessary freedom of information requests to make his job more difficult.
Published reports in this case have Trustee Natchez saying “I cannot comment on a matter that may involve litigation,” but adding “The allegations of the EEOC charge lack merit and are baseless. I look forward through independent investigation of the allegations and will be completely exonerated.”
Another published report. on Patch.com, claim that the EEOC complaint “has now been referred to the Department of Justice.” and, also from the Patch.com story written by Jeff Edwards, “While Mamaroneck Mayor Tom Murphy has admitted in public comments that he did not initially appreciate the gravity of Barberio’s complaints, he told Patch that he agrees that the charges are “serious” and should be thoroughly investigated by appropriate, independent agencies.”
Natchez is 78; Barbeiro is 54. All Village Trustees serve as Commissioners overseeing the Police Department.
Another report on this case, from the Larchmont Loop, has Mayor Murphy admitting,“It obviously made the mother uncomfortable,” concerning Natchez leering behavior towards young children on the Village beach.
Uncomfortable is putting in kind. The mother, who we hope to speak with, didn’t know who Trustee Natchez was, but only viewed him as an old “perv,” walkng on the beach photographing kids in their bathing suits.
Barberio wants to leave the Village of Mamaroneck’s employment, and with three years remaining on his contract, wants to negotiate a buyout. Mayor Murphy has said that he does not support buying out Barberio’s contract, which would require three votes on the village board, and would be paid for by the taxpayers of the Village of Mamaroneck.
Mayor Murphy told Polly Kreisman of the Larchmont Loop that “This will be eventually worked out, people don’t have to worry.”
Other Mamaroneck residents we spoke to “are worried” to put it mildly. More on this subjet in the future.
