BETTER THAN HEARSAY - A Small Town Entangled - Jewett Government Divide Deepens Amid “Hostile Work Environment” Claims

By Michael Ryan

JEWETT  - An avalanche of alleged workplace abnormalities has befallen Jewett in a Notice of Claim filed against the town and the town board.

Legal papers were served to local officials on January 15 through attorney Dana Salazar, representing plaintiffs Robert Mallory and Maya Carl, the Jewett highway superintendent and town clerk, respectively.

Town Supervisor Greg Kroyer, in a phone interview following the serving of the Notice, said, “I was made aware of the existence of the document by the town attorney. I will follow his advice with regard to it.”

The possible lawsuit goes beyond hostile work environment accusations, being directly tied to a search warrant executed at the town hall, July 2, 2025, by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff's Office captain Joel Rowell, at the time of the search, stated that investigators had seized “electronic devices, paper files and business records” prompted by “allegations of potentially fraudulent activity.”

No further information was shared and silence has surrounded the sweep since then, but the Notice of Claim offers a snowslide of details about alleged events leading up to the police entry.

And the document - a written prerequisite for suing a government entity - lays out allegations by Mallory and Carl that fellow town officials have violated Civil Service Law in the aftermath of the raid.

Those alleged violations come in the form of “creating a hostile work environment” for Mallory and Carl as well as “intentional infliction of emotional distress” and “civil conspiracy,” the papers state.

Town board sessions, over the past six months, have been marked by tensions and uncharacteristic discord in the conducting of business.

It is revealed in the Notice of Claim that Mallory and Carl reached out to law enforcement in the late spring of 2025, culminating in the sheriff’s office search and an ongoing criminal investigation.

Mallory and Carl, in the papers prepared by the East Greenbush law firm of Salazar and Erikson, allege that, “actions that resulted in this claim arose on or about April 16, 2025, and have continued to date.

“During the Fall of 2024, Plaintiff Mallory became aware that a private home was being constructed and a foundation was laid on property owned by Barbara Schobel, the planning board chairperson for the Town of Jewett.

“Around that same time,” the Notice states, “Plaintiff Mallory mentioned to Plaintiff Carl that the construction was in progress, and Plaintiff Carl mentioned that that was odd because she had not received a check for a building permit for that property.

“Upon information and belief, a structure was fully framed on the Schobel property during the month of March 2025. By observation, the structure appeared to be over 2,000 square feet.”

The Notice of Claim goes on to state that, “around this time, Plaintiff Carl received a check for the building permit for the property that was on its face insufficient for the type and size of building being constructed.

“On April 9, 2025, the building inspector's report noted that a building permit was issued for the property for a 964 square feet accessory barn.

“On April 16, 2025, plaintiffs requested a meeting with the Town Supervisor, Greg Kroyer, to discuss the apparently illegal and uninspected construction.

“Plaintiffs informed Greg Kroyer that it appeared that building and zoning laws were disregarded during and following the construction of the planning board chair's house,” the Notice states.

“Greg Kroyer downplayed the reported misconduct and code violations but nonetheless requested more time. 

“On April 23, 2025, plaintiffs requested a second meeting with Greg Kroyer. At this meeting, plaintiffs asked for an update on the misconduct and code violations and Greg Kroyer again asked for more time.

“Supervisor Kroyer advised plaintiffs that, ‘at the end of the process, the file would reflect the project.’”

The Notice to Claim provides more alleged specifics, stating, “on April 24, 2025, plaintiffs notified the town attorney for the Town of Jewett, Tal Rappleyea, of the issues.

“That same day, plaintiffs reached out to Greg Kroyer once more, and asked him to speak with the town attorney, and Greg Kroyer agreed to discuss the issues with the town attorney.

“Over the next few weeks, plaintiffs and town council members had conversations about the issues.

“On May 14, 2025, Greg Kroyer told Plaintiff Mallory not to speak to any council members without his permission and stated that he would not have a meeting or discuss the issues further.”

According to the Notice of Claim, “upon information and belief, defendants have never taken steps to resolve the misconduct and compliance issues. 

“After defendants failed to act, plaintiffs were left with no choice but to report the misconduct and compliance [issues] to the Greene County Sheriff's Office.

“Immediately following plaintiffs’ cooperation with law enforcement, defendants began a campaign to marginalize, embarrass, demean. and punish plaintiffs for their cooperation with law enforcement.

“Plaintiffs have been subjected to months of hostile behavior from defendants in the form of arguments. cold behavior, and hostile abuses of authority. Councilpersons [John] Giordano, [James] Pellitteri, [Jeanie] Scotti, and Kroyer have intimidated, excluded, and disparaged plaintiffs.

“Defendants have made plaintiffs feel unwelcome and unsafe at their places of employment. At the November [2025] board meeting, defendants removed or allowed the removal of Plaintiff Mallory from the board table for meetings despite the fact he had held a seat at that table for nearly 30 years.

“At the same November meeting, the defendants required Plaintiff Mallory to seek approval from Supervisor Kroyer for any vehicle repairs over $1,500. Plaintiff Mallory emailed Supervisor Kroyer for approval to repair a truck on December 31, 2025.

“When Plaintiff Carl followed up with Supervisor Kroyer regarding the request, Supervisor Kroyer responded that he would not respond to emails and would not put anything in writing to plaintiffs.

“Supervisor Kroyer's refusal to communicate with plaintiffs is interfering with plaintiffs ability to perform their respective job duties,” the Notice states.

“On or about December 10, 2025, defendants removed or allowed the removal of Plaintiff Carl from her role as planning board secretary, a paid position, without providing a non-retaliatory basis for the removal.

“Plaintiff Carl anticipates that she may be removed from her position with the zoning board as well as retaliation.

“Based on conversations within the town hall, Plaintiff Carl fears that the defendants may also eliminate her healthcare benefits provided by the Town of Jewett,” the Notice states.

“On December 22, 2025, Greg Kroyer signed vouchers and checks to replace gas pumps that did not need to be replaced. These vouchers should have been approved by and signed by Plaintiff Mallory in his role as highway supervisor.

“As a result, Greg Kroyer has expended money that was rightfully subject to authorization by Plaintiff Mallory in his role as highway supervisor.

“Justification for replacement of the gas pumps was a false implication of theft of fuel by employees within Plaintiff Mallory's department.

“Greg Kroyer has used his role as town supervisor to advocate for security cameras to be placed in the highway supervisor's building over Plaintiff Mallory's protest and without non-discriminatory cause.

“Greg Kroyer formed a commission composed of two town councilpersons to coordinate installation of the security cameras and has used this commission to further punish, demean, and retaliate against plaintiffs.

“A union representative contacted Greg Kroyer and notified him that he must cease and desist his plan to install security cameras. Upon information and belief defendants also discussed the placement of cameras in Plaintiff Carl's office,” the Notice states.

“So far, Plaintiff Carl's office includes the boiler, the lunchroom equipment, the computer server and now the water filtration system. Upon information and belief, these filters have been placed in Plaintiff Carl's office to provide excuses to leave Plaintiff Carl's office unlocked and available for defendants to enter without notice.

“On January 5, 2026, defendants moved the water filtration system into Defendant Carl's office for no legitimate reason.”

The Notice of Claim alleges that Mallory and Carl have “suffered severe stress and anxiety related to the defendants’ hostile and retaliatory behaviors.

“Upon information and belief, defendants have retaliated or permitted retaliation against both or either of plaintiffs at all times relevant,” and “plaintiffs fear further hostile and retaliatory behavior on the part of defendants when the legal and compliance matters reported by plaintiffs result in criminal arrests,” the Notice states.

Mallory and Carl allege that they, "reported the hostile work environment to authorities at the Town and the board and have seen no change in the hostility or retaliation.”

The plaintiffs “have and will sustain substantial monetary and noneconomic damages including mental anguish in an amount to be determined,” the Notice of Claim states.

Carl and Mallory “present this claim and demand for adjustment and payment, and further [notify] that unless the same is adjusted and paid within the time provided by law from the date of its presentation, it is the intention of the claimants to commence an action against the Town of Jewett, Jewett Town Board, and such others as may be liable for same to recover the damages sustained by claimants as set forth herein.”

A lawsuit may or may not be initiated following a 30-day waiting period. The town deny the allegations, not respond or seek to settle out of court.