The Mendon town supervisor and Town Board are calling for the immediate resignation of Town Highway Superintendent Andrew Caschetta, after an internal investigation sustained allegations that Caschetta sexually harassed and retaliated against employees and fostered a hostile work environment.
The investigation was initiated by the town in October after six employees, Town Supervisor John Moffit and Town Clerk Michelle Booth filed complaints against Caschetta. Rochester law firm Bolaños Lowe conducted the investigation, issuing its report on March 17.
That report, provided to WXXI News, documented multiple claims against Caschetta, including accusations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and violent outbursts in the workplace.
The highway superintendent is an elected position, charged with overseeing the highway department and maintaining roads, bridges and related infrastructure. Caschetta has held the office since 2019, when he was tapped to fill in for retired Superintendent Bud Smith. Caschetta is not seeking re-election this year.
The investigation sustained allegations against Caschetta made regular sexual remarks toward two female staffers and commented to other employees about their bodies and perceived promiscuity.
The report also alleged that he would refuse to engage with employees who filed complaints against him, creating a hostile work environment.
While the report alleges that he did sexually harass female employees, it also said he did not create a sexually discriminatory work environment.
“Superintendent Caschetta is an ‘equal opportunity harasser,’” the report stated. “He mistreats both men and women.”
Caschetta did not respond to a request for comment.
The report also accused Caschetta of retaliating against employees for doing their jobs correctly. For example, the report outlined a reputed incident in which an employee truthfully told workers at a dump site that a load of concrete contained metal mesh, causing it to be rejected from the site. Caschetta then allegedly ordered that employee to remove the mesh himself with a jackhammer.
Caschetta then filmed himself telling the employee to stop jackhammering to give him deniability in any retaliation claim, according to the report.
Caschetta allegedly referred to Supervisor Moffit as “Vladimir Putin” and the Mendon Town Hall as “The Kremlin.” On one occasion, he allegedly threw a chair at a dispatcher in the breakroom of the Highway Department. Caschetta claimed he had kicked the chair leg to wake up a sleeping employee.
“With respect to these complaints against him, Superintendent Caschetta has openly stated in the workplace, ‘By the time they do anything with these reports, I’ll be retired,’” according to the report. “’I don’t give a damn.’”
The town’s attorneys had engaged in a month-long negotiation with Caschetta, with hopes of soliciting his resignation, according to a statement from Supervisor Moffitt that accompanied the report. That negotiation ended last week. Caschetta declined to resign. As an elected official, he cannot be removed by the supervisor or board.
In a phone call, Moffit said the town is now seeking other avenues to limit the authority of Caschetta in his position, including restrictions on his ability to interact with employees and a reduction of job responsibilities.
“We’ve already lost good, dedicated employees due to his behavior,” Moffit said, alleging three staffers have resigned because of Caschetta. “We have other employees that are very unhappy.”
Moffit said other employees have had to seek medical attention due to the stress of working for Caschetta, a claim that is also alleged in the report.
Moffit also said the town may look at legal avenues to hold Caschetta responsible. He did not comment on what exactly those actions would look like.
Republican Peter Doyle is the sole candidate for Mendon Highway Superintendent this year.
