Former official files suit against Newton Falls

Staff report

WARREN

Harry J. Benetis, who served as Newton Falls village manager for nine hours Jan. 1 before Newton Falls City Council met in emergency session to take it away and give it to former village manager Jack Haney, has filed legal action against the village.

Benetis filed suit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court late Friday, saying the village breached his contract by terminating him. The suit seeks $29,359 in severance benefits.

Joseph Fritz, village law director, said he would have no comment on the suit because he had not seen it.

Council approved a contract with Benetis during 2011 that would have paid him $50,000 per year. Officials said the deal would have saved the village about $70,000 in 2012 compared with the contract it had with Haney, who earned $92,000 plus about $25,000 in benefits.

But after the November election, which brought about a change in the composition of village council, its members voted to rehire Haney, leaving Benetis out of a job nine hours after it had begun.