FISHKILL – Mid-Hudson News has obtained a “Confidential Investigation Report” prepared by a lawyer tasked with investigating claims of workplace violence made by the Fishkill Town Supervisor Ozzy Albra’s former secretary. The town board learned of the contents of the report on Wednesday night during an executive session.
Albra’s former Confidential Secretary Mike Natrella resigned on January 30, 2023, claiming that Supervisor Albra created a hostile work environment through his words and actions toward Natrella. Both men are Democrats and when the 24-year-old Natrella resigned, he told Mid-Hudson News that Albra created an uncomfortable work environment and exhibited unstable behavior when not provided information to which he was not entitled.
The town engaged attorney Julie Shaw on February 1, 2023, to investigate Natrella’s claims. On April 19, 2023, in a confidential executive session meeting of the town board, the council received Shaw’s confidential report. The investigator included using the Mid-Hudson News story about the resignation as well as a Mid-Hudson News story about the complainant’s mother considering a political challenge to Albra.
Shaw noted that she was unsuccessful in her attempts to interview the complainant but she did interview Supervisor Albra, Fishkill Human Resources Director Suzanne Puma, and Albra’s secretary, Greg Totino.
The town-hired attorney learned during the interview with Greg Totino that he also serves as the Town of Fishkill Democratic Committee chairman and has prayed in the same church as Albra for two decades. Totino also served as Albra’s campaign manager in 2019 before Albra arranged his hiring by the town after the election. Totino remained in the secretarial job until September 26, 2022, when he left to work for then-Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. Totino returned to his secretarial position in the town in February of 2023, after Natrella resigned. Totino, according to Shaw, said he has never been treated in any way (by Albra) that has made him feel threatened or demeaned.
Puma told the investigator that she observed Albra and Natrella talking in the parking lot at town hall one afternoon. Natrella claimed that he felt threatened by Albra during that conversation but Puma said it did not appear threatening and Natrella could have exited if he chose to do so.
In the interview with Albra, according to Shaw, Albra denied cursing at Natrella. In reading the report, it is evident that Albra discounted or denied every claim made by his former secretary.
In offering her opinion, Shaw said, “There was a disconnect between the manner in which Supervisor Albra intended his words and actions to be construed versus the manner in which Mr. Natrella actually perceived Supervisor Albra’s words and actions.”
Shaw’s report concluded with her saying, “I find that Supervisor Albra did not create a hostile or abusive work environment as concerns the employment of Mr. Natrella as Confidential Secretary to the Supervisor.”
Natrella was unavailable for comment prior to publication.
