A former chief engineer for the City of Windsor says he was improperly terminated.
Chris Nepszy, who was dismissed by the City in November 2023 as its Commissioner of Infrastructure Services and City Engineer, has filed a statement of claim against the City, citing wrongful dismissal.
The statement of claim was filed on March 22, at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice's civil division in Toronto. Nepszy is seeking almost $1.55-million in damages, including back pay, benefits, and punitive damages.
Toronto employment lawyer Howard Livett is representing Nepszy. Livett told WindsorNewsToday.ca that since his client believes he was wrongfully dismissed, compensation was the objective.
"We tried very, very hard to resolve this," said Livett. "Until we went this far, he was prepared to take the amount of money he'd be entitled to as an employee who was lured away from a good, sound, secure job with heavy inducements."
Nepszy joined the City of Windsor in the summer of 2021, succeeding longtime City Engineer Mark Winterton. Before being hired, Nepszy had been the Chief Adiminstrative Officer (CAO) in the Town of Essex, and before that, the town's infrastructure director.
Livett said based on Nepszy's previous experience, he felt he was entitled to more than what was in the severance package the City offered. He also pointed out that Nepszy has been having trouble securing comparable employment.
"He worked for the City of Windsor as their head of engineering," said Livett. "He was making over $200,000 a year, and is entitled to have dismissal damages, and the offer they've made is frankly...insubstantial and nothing like what a court's going to award."
Mayor Drew Dilkens used strong-mayor powers to make changes to the administration in November. Mark Winterton was brought out of retirement to resume his duties as City Engineer. Commissioner of Legal and Legislative Services Shelby Askin Hager was also let go. She was replaced at the time with interim Windsor Public Library CEO Dana Paladino.
In a statement, Dilkens responded to the statement of claim being filed.
"We are aware of the statement of claim filed by a former employee against the City of Windsor," said Dilkens. "The City denies all of the spurious allegations and will defend itself accordingly. As this has now become a legal matter, we will refrain from further comment and allow the legal process to take its course."