The former senior county clerk in Potsdam, New York says she may file a lawsuit against the city alleging that she was illegally fired after speaking out about asbestos contamination at a local building. Shelly Warner-Levison alleges that she was fired in retaliation for comments made about the presence of asbestos at the Potsdam Civic Center.

An inspection conducted by the Public Employee Health and Safety Bureau in June 2009 discovered asbestos among the ceiling tiles at the civic center. According to her lawsuit against the city of Potsdam, Warner-Levison notified the bureau of possible asbestos contamination in the building following the death of a colleague from mesothelioma. The bureau’s subsequent investigation confirmed the presence of asbestos in the building.

Asbestos was once commonly used to protect against heat and to serve as insulation before the full health risks of were known. Exposure to asbestos can lead to a number of serious and potentially fatal diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that can affect the lining of the heart, lungs or abdomen.