Greece town officials have reached settlements in a pair of civil lawsuits that accused the previous administration of unlawfully tracking a civilian adversary and requiring a town employee to work thousands of hours unpaid.
The settlements ― in lawsuits brought by Ryan Murphy and Robert “Bobby” Johnson ― were announced in federal court June 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pedersen. Terms of the settlements were not immediately shared and lawyers for both the town and the plaintiffs declined to comment after court.
For years, Greece has been plagued with tales of chaos and scandal at the hands of its leaders. Town Supervisor Jeff McCann promised residents a fresh start when he took office in January. Outside of court, McCann said the settlements reflected a significant milestone in that endeavor.
“A big part of our first six months on the job here have been looking in the rearview mirror and dealing with things that have happened before,” McCann said. ” (These settlements are) really going to allow us as a town and as a community to move forward.”
Two major legal disputes in Greece resolved with settlement
The first lawsuit dates back to 2023: Johnson, a former public works employee, said he was ordered to complete unpaid chores and maintenance at the homes of then-Town Supervisor Bill Reilich and Deputy Supervisor Michelle Marini. When Johnson retired and refused to keep working for the pair, he accused the town of denying post-retirement health benefits that he was due.
Murphy’s complaint involves the discovery of a GPS tracker on his car in 2024. He was a persistent critic of Reilich’s administration and accused the town of unlawful surveillance in an attempt to suppress his freedom of speech. Records showed the town paid a private investigative firm more than $9,000 to place the tracking devices.
Town lawyers denied the allegations in both cases.
A third lawsuit is on the brink of a settlement agreement, attorneys said June 23. Tina Bachman, the wife of a former police officer, sued the town after she also found a tracking device on the family’s car.
Bachman alleged the surveillance and a town investigation into her husband for worker’s compensation fraud was retaliation for information she provided that led to criminal charges against Marini. (Marini admitted to grand larceny crimes tied to her role as deputy supervisor last year.)
Greece lawsuits cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands in legal fees
Legal fees continue to pile up, however, as the town continues to fight several other lawsuits ― including claims from a handful of former police officers who allege they were unfairly punished as whistleblowers after the 2021 drunken driving crash of a former police chief.
Last month, McCann launched a town investigation into a newly surfaced New York State Police report that accused a top Greece police official of stalking and misconduct.
McCann said his administration considered these settlements a wise business decision for the town.
“A big issue with all of this have been the legal fees,” he said. “We’ve paid an enormous amount ― multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees defending all of the cases together.”
A portion of the settlements will be paid by the town’s insurer, but some of the funds will have to come from budget reserves. The Greece Town Board has to officially approve the settlements and is expected to take up the issue at its July meeting.
— Includes reporting by Gary Craig.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on immigration, police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Greece settles lawsuits over surveillance, unpaid work | Exclusive
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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By Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
