MANCHESTER — A former city employee and his wife are threatening to sue the city for $405,000 claiming nepotism and politics caused his improper termination.

Charles DePrima, former interim director of the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Department, is claiming he was wrongfully terminated from a job he was given after being passed over for the Chief of Parks job in 2010. In an email sent by his wife, outgoing Intown Manchester Director of Marketing and Public Relations Samantha DePrima, the couple claims Charles DePrima was not given a verbal or written warning before being terminated from his job. They also claim the Chief of Parks job was given to an unqualified candidate over DePrima because Alderman At-Large Dan O’Neil interfered with the hiring process.

The DePrimas allege Charles was skipped over to appease current Chief of Parks Peter Capano, who was supposedly in line for the Assistant Public Works Director post. O’Neil violated city charter standards of conduct, they allege, by pressuring Public Works Director Kevin Sheppard to hire O’Neil’s cousin, Tim Clougherty, as assistant director of Public Works over Capano, and then offer Capano the next highest job, which was Chief of Parks.

“We have already amassed a group of witnesses including former city officials,” who would back up these claims, Samantha DePrima wrote.

“Chuck DePrima has no intention of ever seeking employment with the City of Manchester ever again, but we have been advised that due to the overwhelming missteps, disregard for the city charter and it’s (sic) consequential effect on our lives, coupled with existing proof, that we have a strong case against the City of Manchester for some fairly significant damages,” wrote Samantha DePrima.

Both O’Neil and Sheppard deny there was any interference with the hiring process for the two positions.

“My decision in the past to hire Tim Clougherty was my decision,” said Sheppard. “My opinion is he does a super job. I do believe I made the right choice.”

Sheppard also denied outside pressure to hire Capano.

“Pete’s been doing a good job as well,” said Sheppard. “I would not have hired Peter if I felt he wasn’t qualified.”

O’Neil said the claims were unsubstantiated, and he referred all other questions to the City Solicitor’s Office.

“They do make some serious accusations, not only against me but others,” said O’Neil.

Charles DePrima is now the Manhattan, Kansas, parks planner and Samantha DePrima will step down from her role at Intown next week with plans to relocate with their family to Kansas. In a May 11 email to the city, Samantha said the family will uproot to another state “because Chucks (sic) name has been tarnished undeservingly (sic) in this area.”

The DePrimas sent two emails to the city regarding a potential lawsuit — one each on May 11 and 12. The first email announces plans to sue the city for $405,000 for 18 months in lost pay, medical bills incurred due to loss of insurance and the amount of their home, which they lost to foreclosure. It also requests a large amount of documentation, including Charles DePrima’s personnel file, communications about the consolidation of the Parks Department with Public Works and communications from a variety of city officials about hiring the Chief of Parks, including names of other candidates.

The May 12 email withdraws the request for information and announces plans to file a civil lawsuit against the city, this time seeking $165,000 in damages for back pay and loss of benefits.

Samantha DePrima then adds, “The options will be to engage in litigation, where Chuck and I will then rightfully pursue the full $405,000 in damages that we feel are rightly owed or an out of court settlement in the amount of $165,00 will be handled through third-party mediation.”

“I am not an employee of the City of Manchester and therefore have privilege to bring these matters to the attention of news media outlets,” Samantha DePrima adds. “We would prefer to keep this out of the public arena and begin discussion of settlement outside of court immediately to avoid these facts and relative evidence from being brought to light.”

The city had not been served with a notice of a lawsuit from the DePrimas as of Thursday.

The New Hampshire Union Leader obtained copies of the DePrima emails through a Right-to-Know request made with the City Clerk’s Office.

DePrima served as interim Parks director until he was laid off in 2010 after the Parks Department was consolidated into the Public Works Department. The aldermen later budgeted extra money to give DePrima a job as recycling coordinator in the new Parks Division, but he soon after left that position. Although Sheppard refused to give the reason for the departure, members on the Board of Aldermen told the Union Leader that DePrima was let go for failing to obtain certifications required to hold the position.

According to the DePrima emails, Charles was fired without warning because he forgot to attend a class for work, which he immediately rescheduled.