Descrimination suit against Town dropped
Published on April 9th, 2008
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham Safety Officer Larry Rotondi agreed to drop his discrimination complaint against the town last week after former Selectman Chair George Seibold lost his bid for re-election.
According to correspondence sent last week to the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), the veteran police officer no longer wishes to pursue the matter, where the safety officer was seeking unspecified damages.
Although Rotondi indicates that his decision was partially based on the costs incurred by the town in defending the allegations, he admits that Seibold's ouster from office last Tuesday played heavily into the change of heart.
“I realize that the continuation of the subject complaint will continue to cost the Town of Stoneham more money in these difficult times,” Rotondi wrote. “Since the voters of Stoneham have chosen not to re-elect Chairman Seibold, I will drop my complaint and consider the matter closed.”
“The fact that Seibold is no longer in the position to bully, harass, and intimidate me during the performance of my duties eliminates my need for me to seek remedies from the state,” the correspondence concludes.
Reached earlier this week, Seibold challenged the timing of Rotondi's decision, arguing that the MCAD complaint had more to do with carrying out a personal vendetta in the midst of an election season than an actual instance of discrimination.
According to the former Selectman, who lost his seat last Tuesday to Finance Board veteran Richard Gregorio, he stands by his actions last October, when he claims he chastised the safety officer for sleeping on the job.
Rotondi denies that he was sleeping in his cruiser during the day in question, insisting that a leaky exhaust may have caused him to feel a little woozy as he was stationed along North Street.
Seibold readily admits to using some choice words with Rotondi during two separate encounters in October, but argues that he was only trying to hold the on-duty police officer accountable.
“I guess that's pretty par for the course. If he felt that strongly, I don't understand why he wouldn't follow this through,” the former Selectman commented. “If he wasn't guilty of [being asleep while on-duty], I don't understand why he wouldn't follow it through.”
“I have no regrets,” Seibold added. “Absolutely not. I have no problem trying to hold people accountable. “98 percent of the town employees that I saw were great. But there are a select few who think they can do whatever they want. I saw that first hand.”
Last fall, Rotondi filed the complaint with MCAD, alleging that the former Selectman abused his position to carry-out a vendetta against him.
Amongst other accusations, the safety officer claimed that Seibold hurled obscenities at him on two separate occasions while he was on-duty, made disparaging comments about his family members, and wrongfully sought to obtain private information about his son.
In early February, the pair reportedly reached a settlement during an arbitration session, but Rotondi later dropped that agreement and opted to move forward with the complaint.
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