An investigation into a former Johnston School Committee member has been put “on hold.”
The committee held a special meeting on Jan. 25 to consider hiring outside legal counsel to initiate “investigative proceedings of former (a) Committee member related to allegations of misconduct.”
That meeting was canceled due to technical difficulties.
The School Committee held another special meeting six days later.
The discussion and vote related to the investigation were no longer on the agenda.
Former committee member David Santilli stopped by, but left once he realized the investigation was no longer on the agenda. His attorney, J. Dixon-Acosta, stuck around just in case.
The committee served Santilli notice that they were considering investigating alleged “misconduct.”
School Committee Chairman Robert Lafazia wasn’t in attendance at that meeting. Superintendent Dr. Bernard DiLullo Jr. and committee legal counsel William J. Conley Jr. referred questions on the pending investigation, and whether it would resurface on a future agenda, to Lafazia.
On Tuesday night, Feb. 8, the School Committee met again. And once again, the investigation did not make the night’s agenda.
After the meeting, Lafazia would offer only a few words on the pending investigation of his former fellow committee member.
“Right now, it’s on hold,” Lafazia said.
Conley, Lafazia and DiLullow will not say what sort of allegations have been leveled against Santilli. The allegations have only been discussed outside the public eye.
Santilli and his attorney say they have no idea what the School Committee had planned to allege.
He resigned his seat on the School Committee in December and didn’t say why publicly. His resignation letter was a single line.
“We’re in the dark, regarding the allegations,” Dixon-Acosta said following the failed meeting. “My understanding is that … Mr. Santilli has long alleged the board has not been keeping in its duties regarding the Open Meetings Act, and that he had been vocal in that regard.”
The committee had planned to hold a closed-door executive session “discussion and/or vote” on two topics: whether to initiate “investigative proceedings of former Committee member related to allegations of misconduct” and “engagement of independent legal counsel for the purpose of initiating investigative proceedings of former Committee member related to allegations of misconduct.”
Santilli, the unnamed “former Committee member,” sat in the audience with his attorney.
“We first learned of these supposed allegations regarding his tenure practically two months ago,” Dixon-Acosta said. “We informed the board of Mr. Santilli’s intent to vigorously defend his record as an honorable steward of the School Committee. To date we’ve received no further information regarding the supposed allegations, which we think are likely spurious.”
A week later, Dixon-Acosta said he had no more insight than the week before.
Santilli and his lawyer did not attend Tuesday night’s meeting.
If the School Committee had decided in executive session to investigate Santilli, they were set to vote in public session on hiring “Benjamin M. Scungio, Esquire, of Brennan, Recupero, Cascione, Scungio & McAlllister, LLP for the purpose of initiating investigative proceedings” looking into Santilli.
Santilli’s replacement on the Committee, Marysue Andreozzi, lost a close family member over the weekend and did not attend Tuesday night’s meeting.
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