Dueling restraining orders between the Boston Water and Sewer Fee’s govt director and former safety chief spotlight the most recent chaos on the beleaguered quasi-public company.
In an affidavit for a harassment order filed in opposition to Water and Sewer Fee Government Director Henry Vitale, former director of safety and amenities Sean Canty alleges that he has been topic to improper surveillance by the Fee in retaliation for submitting a state discrimination declare in opposition to Vitale and the company.
Canty filed his harassment order final week, quickly after Vitale filed a restraining order in opposition to Canty, claiming in an affidavit that he was fearful that the fired safety chief’s actions would escalate to violence in opposition to him.
Canty claims that Vitale’s restraining order, filed in late October, is geared toward weakening the employment discrimination declare he’s filed with the Massachusetts Fee In opposition to Discrimination, as he mentioned it was filed quickly after the Water and Sewer Fee was served together with his criticism.
“After I filed a very strong Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination complaint against BWSC and its executive director, Henry Vitale, for retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower activity, and for being a witness to corruption at the highest levels, I began to experience surveillance and following that I reasonably believe was directed by Mr. Vitale,” Canty wrote his affidavit.
Canty mentioned Water and Sewer Fee automobiles had been following him since late August, when BWSC was served together with his employment discrimination submitting. The exercise continued when he was visiting his daughter in West Roxbury in late October, which brought on him to turn into “so upset and alarmed at being followed” that he drove to the district courtroom to file a restraining order, his affidavit states.
He was instructed he wanted to file a harassment order in Manchester, New Hampshire, the place he resides, which he did, Canty’s affidavit states.
Canty mentioned he acknowledged the exercise from his former employer resulting from Vitale ordering him to conduct surveillance of Fee staff, previous and current, who had filed litigation in opposition to the quasi-public company whereas employed there as its safety chief.
“Because of my prior BWSC duties, I know what BWSC vehicles look like, I know that employees can be directed to follow people who have filed claims against the Commission, and I recognize this pattern for what it is: retaliation and intimidation tied to my protected activity,” Canty wrote his affidavit.
Canty additionally takes problem with the embarrassment he says he was brought on when he realized that, in late October, Vitale brought on his {photograph} to be displayed within the Water and Sewer Fee foyer “with the implication that I could be a person of concern or danger.” Per the affidavit, Canty noticed the transfer as retaliatory.
A Boston Water and Sewer Fee spokesperson mentioned the Fee “denies the allegations in the restraining order.”
“Mr. Canty’s allegations are utter nonsense and part of his misguided attempt to defame his former employer,” a Fee spokesperson mentioned in an announcement.
Vitale filed a restraining order in opposition to Canty in West Roxbury District Courtroom in late October that acknowledges the pending MCAD declare in opposition to the Fee, in line with an affidavit filed together with his order.
Within the affidavit, Vitale mentioned Canty was fired from his place on Dec. 18, 2024 after an investigation decided that he made racist statements to a Haitian-American colleague.
“During and after his employment with the Commission, defendant Canty willfully and maliciously engaged in more than three incidents of harassment against me that were intended to cause fear of physical harm and intimidation,” Vitale wrote within the affidavit. “Defendant Canty’s harassing actions have caused and are continuing to cause fear that he will cause me physical harm.”
These incidents, Vitale claims, happened in August 2019, October 2023 and September 2025, roughly 9 months after Canty was fired, and concerned different Fee staff.
“Throughout my professional relationship with Defendant Canty, he has been a volatile individual, resulting in serious confrontations with myself and others,” Vitale wrote, including that he fears “Canty will resort to more violent means as he seeks retribution for perceived slights,” given the deterioration of his psychological state, which incorporates post-traumatic stress dysfunction from his time within the navy.
Canty, in an interview with the Herald, mentioned Vitale’s restraining order is “bogus” and “full of lies.”
He mentioned it was “heartbreaking” that Vitale, who he thought-about to be a great buddy, would attempt to harm him so deeply, significantly by publicizing and demonizing his post-traumatic stress dysfunction, which he reported to the Fee privately.
“Henry Vitale was a friend of mine, and it still hurts me to this day that he would go to such great lengths to hurt me,” Canty mentioned. “I’m not built that way. I’m built that loyalty is everything. … I was heartbroken at what he did to me.”
Canty declined to get into specifics about his MCAD declare, which is scheduled for a Nov. 19 preliminary listening to, apart from saying it’s partly a whistleblower declare, includes a demotion to the Alford Road supplies dealing with facility that he says worsened his continual obstructive pulmonary illness, and would “destroy” Vitale.
He additionally talked about that considered one of his witnesses, who labored within the Fee’s authorized division, was not too long ago fired, which he sees as one other effort to weaken his MCAD declare.
“It’s funny, the mayor, she attends No Kings rallies, and yet she allows one to stay in her administration,” Canty mentioned of Vitale. “How this individual remains to be there’s past me. He’s fired anyone that he feels shouldn’t be 100% loyal to him — to not town, to not the Fee, however to him.
“The end game, ultimately, is justice,” Canty added. “And I think the only justice is that he’s removed from power.”
