Montville - Bill Buscetto, who was dismissed in June as the St. Bernard School athletic director and baseball coach, has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against St. Bernard and the Diocese of Norwich in which he alleges that he was wrongfully terminated.

In the lawsuit, Buscetto alleges that money raised from school charity golf tournaments - money that was earmarked for athletic facility improvements - was instead spent on school buses.

Buscetto, 38, also said that he spent approximately $70,000 of his own money on athletic facility upgrades. He alleges that he did this after former headmaster William McKenna promised him that he would continue to be employed by the school as long as he continued to financially support St. Bernard.

When reached on Monday night, Buscetto said he was looking forward to his day in court. He rebuffed an offer in August from headmaster Thomas J. Doherty to return as St. Bernard's athletic director.

"I had no other recourse but to do this," Buscetto said Monday. "I gave them every opportunity in the world not to have this happen. The last thing I wanted to do was to sue St. Bernard."

Michael Strammiello, a spokesman for the diocese, said the diocese has been pleased with the openness that Doherty has applied to Buscetto's dismissal. Doherty met with many parents and alumni after several people expressed outrage that Buscetto was fired.

Strammiello said Doherty mailed a letter to parents on Monday in which he acknowledged Buscetto's lawsuit and said it would not interfere with the private school's mission of Catholic education.

"While we take such action seriously, we believe this lawsuit is entirely without merit. We intend to defend against it vigorously," Doherty wrote in the letter.

The 13-page lawsuit also details an alleged June 15 incident in which a school employee arrived intoxicated to a summer conditioning workout and demanded that athletes and coaches leave the school grounds.

Buscetto alleges that he gathered witness accounts of the incident and reported it to McKenna, Dr. John Shine, superintendent of schools for the diocese, and Brother Lawrence Harvey, chairman of the school's Board of Advisors.

Buscetto was soon thereafter fired for what he alleges as "retaliation for his speech on matters of public concern." He also alleges he was harassed by McKenna because Buscetto voiced concerns that the former headmaster was mismanaging school donations meant for athletic programs.

A graduate of St. Bernard, Buscetto is seeking back pay, retirement and health and disability benefits with interest. He is also seeking repayment on the money he spent on the school's athletic facilities and equipment. The lawsuit said Buscetto paid for a new softball field, among other things.

jeff.johnson@theday.com