WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners have reached a $225,000 settlement with office employee Dawn Guarino Gedeon, who in a 2022 lawsuit claimed Commissioner Niki Frenchko expressed “anti-Italian prejudice and bigotry” toward her and “others of Italian descent.”

The agreement in U.S. District Court, which was signed June 9 by Gedeon, states she releases and discharges Frenchko and the board from further liability regarding the claims.

“The Trumbull County commissioners are thankful for the services of their many fine employees and wish to support a workplace that is free from unnecessary distractions and inappropriate behavior,” the commissioners office stated in a news release.

“Allegations were made in a lawsuit filed by Dawn Gedeon that the workplace did not always meet the high standards that Trumbull County has maintained for many years. These allegations were taken seriously by the Trumbull County commissioners and its risk pool. After much reflection on the time and costs that go into handling litigation matters, the risk pool chose to resolve the case via settlement.”

Commissioners agreed to submit the total payment to Gedeon and her attorneys within 30 days of the execution of the agreement.

Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa said the settlement is a bad look for the commissioners office.

“It’s just really unfortunate,” he said. “That for a little over two years, we’ve been going back and forth with information in this case whether it be depositions, court issued gag orders, there’s been misinformation on social media about the case, and now it comes to a close. Unfortunately, it’s at the expense of the taxpayers.”

When reached for comment, Frenchko said she did not know a news release had been sent out by the county’s human resources department. She said she believes the release was a political act, and she does not agree with the settlement or the release.

“If this case would have continued on, it would have been dismissed,” Frenchko said. “It already was dismissed, but it would’ve been dismissed by the judge without any CORSA involvement if the other commissioners would not have created a conflict of interest.”

CORSA provides insurance coverage to 72 of Ohio’s 88 counties, including Trumbull County.

Frenchko also suggested the settlement was done as a “nudging” from the other commissioners to keep Gedeon as an employee and ensure that she “had a payout.”

Cantalamessa said that he was aware of the release prior to it being sent out. Commissioner Denny Malloy also was aware of the release, though he could not be reached for comment.

“I can’t speak to what she does know and what she doesn’t know,” Cantalamessa said. “It was given to HR and it was disseminated to the press. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to her that eventually the gag order on the case would be lifted and eventually the truth would come to light.”

In March 2022, Frenchko responded to the lawsuit by telling this newspaper she had never made bigoted statements about Italians and never made comments to staff about their ethnic heritage.

Gedeon was receptionist for the commissioners for about 10 years until Oct. 25, 2021, according to court documents. At that time, she was given a position as payroll secretary and receptionist, a position she held as recently as May 2022.