MANSFIELD - A Mansfield engineer is moving forward with a discrimination complaint against the town and its light department, saying he was retaliated against after he testified against the town in an employment lawsuit.

Ralph Penney, of Penney Engineering, filed a rebuttal on an earlier claim he made with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. He alleges he was retaliated against after he testified on behalf of Jack Beliveau and Kimberly Stoyle, two former electric department employees who successfully sued the town.

Penney, who said he has worked on more than 12 projects for the town, said his service contracts with the town and the electric department were terminated following his testimony.

He also claims the town withheld payment and interfered with his business relationships.

As defendants, the claim names the town, the electric department, the board of selectmen and light commissioners, Town Manager John D'Agostino and Selectmen Chairwoman Sandra Levine. The rebuttal is the third step in the investigation of the claim, which Penney filed on May 22. On Sept. 5, the town submitted a lengthy position statement in response to the claim. The case will now be assigned an investigator, who will make a determination about whether retaliation occurred.

An attempt to get a copy of the town's position paper was unsuccessful.

Penney said he filed the claim to put an end to what he believes is retaliation.

"I wanted to stop it," he said, adding that the complaint has accomplished its goal thus far.

D'Agostino said he believes Penney's decision to file the complaint, as well as release his rebuttal to The Sun Chronicle, may be politically motivated.

"It's unfortunate that Mr. Penney decided to release that information," D'Agostino said. His "motives in filing are questionable."

Penney said he has not decided if he will sue the town over the matters, but said it is still a possibility.

"It's kind of awkward to sue your town," he said. "It is one option I have available to me."

MATT KAKLEY covers politics for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0333 or at mkakley@thesunchronicle.com.