Farmington River Regional School District
Otis/Sandisfield
555 Main Road, Otis MA 01253
School Committee Special Meeting #420
Monday August 9, 2022, 7:00PM
Farmington River Library
Members Present: Carol Lombardo, Carl Nett, Deb Fogel, Arlene Tolopko, Roger Kohler, Amanda Leavenworth, and Jess Drenga. Also present Tom Nadolny and Eric Jesner.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Carol Lombardo.
- Discussion of complaints brought against an employee
The committee convened in open session. Jess Drenga made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss the complaints or charges brought against an individual, not to return to open session. A roll call vote was conducted. Jess Drenga, Carl Nett, Roger Kohler, Arlene Tolopko, Amanda Leavenworth, Deb Fogel, and Carol Lombardo voted in the affirmative. There were no negative votes.
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert R. Putnam, Interim Principal/Superintendent
Farmington River Regional School District
Otis/Sandisfield
555 Main Road, Otis MA 01253
School Committee Special Meeting #420
Monday August 9, 2022, 7:00PM
Farmington River Library
Members Present: Carol Lombardo, Carl Nett, Deb Fogel, Arlene Tolopko, Roger Kohler, Amanda Leavenworth, and Jess Drenga. Also present Tom Nadolny and Eric Jesner.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Carol Lombardo.
- Discussion of complaints brought against an employee
The committee convened in open session. Jess Drenga made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss the complaints or charges brought against an individual, not to return to open session. A roll call vote was conducted. Jess Drenga, Carl Nett, Roger Kohler, Arlene Tolopko, Amanda Leavenworth, Deb Fogel, and Carol Lombardo voted in the affirmative. There were no negative votes.
Carol Lombardo asked Tom Naldony if he wanted to make a statement. Naldony responded that the August 1, 2022 meeting did not give him an opportunity for a response or to provide alternate viewpoints. He opined that the meeting was preceded by a social media campaign and followed by a negative Berkshire Eagle article. He claimed that both offered only one side. He said that the August 1, 2022 public meeting and the attendant publicity had ruined his professional reputation and his standing in the community. He said he would not be able to recover from it. He proposed a separation agreement and provided the document to the chair. He later asked for all copies to be returned to him. He asked that the committee vote to accept the agreement in principle pending minor modifications.
Jess Drenga made a motion to accept the agreement which was seconded by Tolopko. Carl Nett asked to amend the motion to suspend Tom Nadolny with pay while a full investigation is conducted by an independent third party to determine if there are adequate legal grounds for termination, and if there are, then to terminate for cause. The motion to amend the motion was seconded by Amanda Leavenworth.
A discussion followed. Some members argued to accept the settlement agreement based on an opinion that the accusations made in the survey had not been raised before and that Nadolny’s reputation had been irreversibly damaged by the release of the survey and subsequent social media posts and the newspaper article. Other members opined that the survey allegations were credible and that the settlement should wait until the completion of an independent investigation into the issues raised in the survey.
The amended motion was put to a vote. Amanda Leavenworth, Carl Nett, and Kohler voted in the affirmative. Jess Drenga, Arlene Tolopko, Deb Fogel, and Carol Lombardo voted in the negative. The amendment motion failed.
The original motion was then put to a vote. Jess Drenga, Arlene Tolopko, Deb Fogel, and Carol Lombardo voted in the affirmative. Amanda Leavenworth, Carl Nett, and Kohler voted in the negative. The motion passed. Carol Lombardo said the proposed settlement agreement would be sent to Jeff Grandchamp, the district lawyer, for review, and that she would ask for advice in moving forward.
Roger Kohler made a motion to come out of executive session which was seconded by Deb Fogel. A roll call vote was conducted. Jess Drenga, Carl Nett, Roger Kohler, Arlene Tolopko, Amanda Leavenworth, Deb Fogel, and Carol Lombardo voted in the affirmative. There were no negative votes.
Adjournment. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by jess Drenga and seconded by Arlene Tolopko . A roll call vote was conducted. Jess Drenga, Carl Nett, Roger Kohler, Arlene Tolopko, Amanda Leavenworth, Deb Fogel, and Carol Lombardo voted in the affirmative. There were no negative votes.The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:13 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert R. Putnam, Interim Principal/Superintendent