The Electric City Trolley Museum manager says a Lackawanna County employee told him his job could be in jeopardy if he didn’t support the employee’s slate for county Democratic Party offices last week.
The employee, Josh Castellani, 24, the executive assistant to Commissioner Thom Welby, denied museum manager Chris Calvey’s accusation in a text exchange Monday afternoon with WVIA News and said the county "vindicated" him. By then, Castellani had already resigned as Welby's aide.
Calvey's account
Calvey, 69, said Castellani called him the week before the July 14 election for county party offices. They spoke for about eight minutes about the competing slates of candidates, he said.
“We exchanged pleasantries and engaged in general small talk, and then we discussed the upcoming Lackawanna County Democratic Committee (meeting),” Calvey said. “And he asked for support for the secretary, and he spoke to the other (people on the) slate of candidates, describing their backgrounds.”
Castellani was a candidate for party secretary on his favored slate.
Calvey said he told Castellani “that I wasn't familiar with a lot of the individuals seeking office, that I was familiar with Lexie McFarland Kelly.”
Kelly sought to chair the county party as part of a candidate slate running against the one Castellani favored.
“I've known her most of my life, and I knew her parents,” Calvey said. “And Castellani asked if I intended to support him or the other side, and I said I was undecided. He said, ‘What about your wife?’ And I said, ‘I can't speak for her.’”
Castellani “continued to describe why we should support him and the team,” Calvey said.
'Position could be jeopardized'
“And at one point he said, ‘Well, you're director of the trolley museum, and it should be in your best interest (to support Castellani’s slate), and you should be concerned as to the outcome, as the position could be jeopardized,” Calvey said.
Calvey said he was surprised.
“And then I said, ‘I feel that you're strong-arming me in this decision,’” he said.
Calvey, also a longtime local funeral director, told Castellani he had once submitted a letter announcing his intention to retire June 30.
“And it was discussed that I had a change of heart that I would stay until the early part of next year, so they can do whatever they want with me,” he said he told Castellani. “And then he changed the subject to be a little more pleasant and just, you know, small talk. And then that was it. We ended. We ended cordially.”
Calvey said he did not report Castellani to county officials on his own, but after hanging up with Castellani, Calvey mentioned what happened to other people.
“I always had a good rapport with Josh,” Calvey said. “I really didn't want this to go any further. Then I just mentioned it to one or two people that night, and the next thing I know, I'm getting phone calls the next day.”
Calvey said he gave an account of the exchange to county chief of staff Brian Jeffers when Jeffers called him.
“I’m upset. I don't want to see somebody jeopardized. To me, I cast it (Castellani’s behavior) up to immaturity that's on an ego trip, or you know, just riding the wave, being motivated by some ulterior force behind him, and he just wasn't using his head,” Calvey said.
Castellani denies charge, claims vindication
Castellani declined to comment on Calvey’s statements when questioned by WVIA News immediately after the July 14 meeting in downtown Scranton where the party elected new officers.
During a phone call placed to him early Monday afternoon, Castellani again declined to comment.
“I just want to state to you I’m not allowed to talk about it or speak about it,” he said.
But Castellani asked a reporter to put questions in writing. WVIA News then texted him a single question: “Is what Chris Calvey is saying true?”
“No,” Castellani replied in a text. “I am working on a statement that I will send to you shortly.”
Shortly after 4 p.m. Monday, in another text, Castellani said he was cleared of wrongdoing.
“I have been vindicated: my suspension was lifted, my pay was reinstated, and this stands as a clear victory,” he said. “The defamatory basis for these entire events will not stand.”
Calvey declined to comment on that statement Wednesday but said he stands by his account.
County officials mum
County chief of staff Brian Jeffers confirmed Castellani resigned Monday morning but declined to comment further.
Welby declined to comment on whether the county disciplined Castellani, saying legal counsel advised him to stay silent.
County commissioners Bill Gaughan and Chris Chermak also declined to comment.
“Because it’s a personnel issue,” Gaughan said. “I was not involved in any hearing, if there was one.”
Chermak said he has no idea what happened.
“Second, it’s a personnel issue,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m not involved with anything with Josh ... He has nothing to do with me.”
WVIA News filed a right-to-know request with the county to obtain the letter that outlined final disciplinary action against Castellani. The county denied the request, saying the letter was exempt from release under the state Right-To-Know Law.
Castellani was the secretary candidate on a six-person slate of candidates headed by chairperson candidate Larissa Cleary-Valonis. He was the only one on the slate to lose.
