Jerry Fetty ran Starline before it was sold to the Hoffmann family earlier this summer. Three weeks later, they fired him.
Fetty’s lawsuit says he’s owed severance pay because Hoffmann fired him without certain cause.
His lawsuit also alleges defamation because Hoffmann pulled most of Starline’s fleet from service for repairs this summer.
Fetty’s attorney Nick Roumel says Hoffmann knew about the conditions of the boats but blamed his client in the media.
“Now they're saying, ‘oh, there are some deficiencies’ with these things that Hoffman had already fully inspected and known about.”
In a statement, Hoffmann’s legal team called Fetty’s suit, quote, “baseless.”
The company also owns Shepler’s Ferry Co., the only other large ferry service to the island.
