Complaints against East Longmeadow Recreation Director withdrawn

Date: 8/6/2014

EAST LONGMEADOW – The complaints filed against East Longmeadow Director of Recreation Colin Drury have been withdrawn and the hearing scheduled for Aug. 6 at 3:30 p.m. will be cancelled, Reminder Publications has learned.
 
Drury confirmed on Aug. 5 that he expects to be served with official notice of the withdrawal and cancellation by letter delivered by an East Longmeadow police officer sometime in the morning of Aug. 6.
 
“It feels good that it’s behind me and my department so we can move forward and continue the good work we have been doing,” Drury said. “However, the situation doesn’t feel good. I think it still bears questions that need to be answered.”
 
On Aug. 1, Drury and Recreation Department employee Timothy Larocca were both summoned to separate hearings regarding complaints filed against them.
 
Larocca’s meeting took place in executive session without him present, despite requesting the hearing be rescheduled through the Town Employees’ Union’s legal counsel, raising questions about the legality of the proceedings. Because the meeting took place in an executive session, the exact nature of the complaints could not legally be verified by any of the parties involved. Selectman Angela Thorpe also declined to comment on the reasoning for denying the request to reschedule, citing laws pertaining to executive session.
 
Drury opted to have his hearing regarding complaints lodged against him by East Longmeadow High School girls’ soccer coach Jennifer Serafino in open session, which was attended by numerous town employees and residents. He objected to the hearing, stating he had not received a list of complaints prior to the hearing, as required by his employment contract.
 
The hearing was then continued to Aug. 6, with the stipulation that Drury would receive written notification of the complaints prior to that meeting. He confirmed that he received the list on Aug. 4, delivered by a uniformed police officer.
 
The hearing for Larocca, who confirmed Aug. 8 would be his final day with the Recreation Department, was also continued to Aug. 6 at 12:30 p.m., and he said he plans to be in attendance.