LIBERTY - Susan Southerton, who retired last last year as the long-time nursing director at the The Care Center at Sunset Lake, has been sued in federal court along with the County and the Center by a former employee who is alleging that Southerton made racist comments to her and other minorities and threatened the plaintiff - Maria Cruz - with criminal charges if she did not resign.
Monticello attorney MIchael Davidoff is representing the County and the Care Center. It is not known at press time who is representing Southerton, no longer a County employee.
It's also unknown at press time if the full Legislature was made aware of the suit by County Attorney Michael McGuire. The SullivanTimes has reached out to McGuire for comment on that.
U.S. District Court Judge Nelson Roman has given the County until September 14, 2021 to respond, according to a stipulation agreed to by the attorneys for the plaintiff and the County.
The County-owned and operated Care Center is scheduled to be managed and leased by Infinite Care beginning sometime this week, according to Legislature Chair Rob Doherty.
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