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WARREN -- The Trumbull County Board of Elections is expected to go into executive session during its meeting today to discuss complaints made against the deputy director.
After the Tribune Chronicle reported last week that a woman resigned from her position there, citing the behavior of deputy director Ron Massullo as the reason, two ex-employees contacted the newspaper to discuss his behavior. And on Nov. 15, a current employee filed a separate letter of complaint with the Trumbull County Human Resources Department.
All four complainants are women.
Board chairman Mark Alberini said the board will discuss how to proceed in executive session today.
"We will discuss the situation and plan corrective action. We are taking this seriously, acting promptly and nothing will be swept under the rug," Alberini said. "It is our job to correct it to ensure a safe and functioning workplace for all."
Massullo declined to comment on the accusations about his behavior -- described as rude, mean, inappropriate and unprofessional by the complainants.
Andrea Renn was hired by the board in 2008. In her letter to Alberini, which was given to the county human resources department, Renn describes interactions with Massullo and criticizes the board for "enabling" the "boorish and despicable behavior."
Renn states in the letter she remained silent due to a "fear of retaliation" and the board members were aware Massullo "berated staff" and made "disparaging and patently vulgar statements," including sexual remarks.
"The most recent and egregious occurrence took place on Oct. 4, 2019, wherein he shouted a specific expletive while speculating about my sex life in a form that I will not repeat in this missive. This was done in the presence of several staff as well as the public. I was humiliated and mortified," Renn's letter states.
MORE ISSUES
Marleah Campbell worked for the board from 2015 until late 2018.
Campbell said she often witnessed Massullo bringing employees to tears, making members of the public uncomfortable as he yelled at employees in front of them and speaking rudely to members of the public.
Campbell said she brought the issue to the attention of board members and director Stephanie Penrose, but she was criticized for complaining, and she says nothing was done about the behavior.
Massullo also made comments of a sexual nature and unsolicited descriptions of sexual interactions with his girlfriend, Campbell said.
"He was constantly making remarks like that," Campbell said.
Massullo also described his co-workers with terms like "dumb Greek" and "stupid Greek," Campbell said.
Jackie Weston was hired as seasonal help during the 2016 presidential election.
"I was a temporary front office employee who couldn't wait until the day I did not have to work with him again," Weston stated in an email. "I maintained a professional demeanor at all times during my employment and was amazed he wasn't held to the same standard while an elections specialist."
Weston said she complained about the behavior, but nothing was done. In August 2018, Massullo was promoted to deputy director. He is paid about $58,000 per year.
Teresa Leugers resigned from her position Nov. 6.
"In the time I have been here, he has screamed at me, threaten(ed) my job and made me to feel inept and not capable of doing my job. I am not the only person that he has done this to, but I will let the others know I am filing this," Leugers wrote in the resignation letter.
HISTORY
When asked by the Tribune Chronicle before Leuger's email was public, Alberini told reporters there was no history of complaints and nothing negative in Massullo's personnel file.
After the resignation, Alberini told the Tribune Chronicle there were no formal or actionable complaints about Massullo's behavior.
Alberini said he stands by the statements, that no one had filed formal complaints. Any employee can come to him, other board members or the director or deputy director to make a complaint about the work environment, and those formal complaints should be filed in a personnel file, he said.
Renn's letter and Campbell describe a culture of ignoring the complaints.
When she complained to a board member, she was "chewed out," Campbell said. "They did nothing about it."
Campbell said she witnessed Massullo "screaming and yelling" at a voter, and when she complained to the director, she was sent home.
"I have remained silent out of fear of retaliation. Remember, you came to me with questions regarding the latest incident," Renn wrote. "At your behest, I remained in the background, did not pursue the matter and allowed you the opportunity to rectify it internally. However, it has become abundantly clear that this has been swept under the rug, and he has been given carte blanche to act in any manner he sees fit, without consequences," Renn states, addressing Alberini.
And although her discussion with Alberini was supposed to be anonymous, Massullo approached her and blamed her, Renn's letter states.