NEW GLOUCESTER – SAD 15 directors fired the district’s director of finance and operations following a short executive meeting with their attorney Wednesday night.

By 10-0 vote, the board terminated Brian McDonnell’s employment, effective immediately.

Superintendent Victoria Burns was directed to issue a certificate of dismissal to McDonnell, attaching a copy of the board’s written findings and conclusions.

McDonnell was placed on paid leave by Burns on Sept. 25. She was Burns director supervisor.

Burns called for the board action. Directors held at hearing looking into her complaints before decided to dismiss McDonnell.

A seven-page document released by the board on Wednesday lists 21 findings based on evidence and the board’s evaluation of testimony and the credibility of witnesses who testified before it.

The findings are specific in detail. In part they note:

• McDonnell opened a personal America Online account using the district’s credit card. He used the account for inappropriate personal use, including an online dating service, during work hours, in violation of district policy.

• McDonnell opened an account at Sherwin-Williams in the district’s name solely for his personal use, so he could obtain a commercial discount on paint. Even after being instructed in writing to stop using the account, he reopened and continued to use it, in direct disobedience of a written instruction from the superintendent.

• “McDonnell flagrantly and repeatedly demeaned and undermined the former superintendent (Michael Wood) and the current superintendent (Burns), in communications with other employees and with individual board members.”

• “He has repeatedly been insubordinate, defiant and disrespectful to the superintendent.”

• McDonnell purchased through the district’s bus garage tires for his personal vehicle through a district account. He did not pay the sales tax and made personal use of the district’s tax exemption in violation of state tax laws. McDonnell then had a bus mechanic install the new tires on his personal vehicle during regular work hours using district equipment.

• In September 2003, McDonnell purchased aircraft motor oil through the district account with a vendor and did not pay sales tax and thus used the district’s sales tax exemption for personal use.

• District employees were requested to assist him with personal chores during the regular work day, including moving furniture from storage to his house.

• McDonnell received, maintained, sent and stored pornographic images on the district’s e-mail account, in direct violation of the district’s computer use policy. He was seen on at least one occasion by a district employee in his office looking at a pornographic image on his computer during the work day.

McDonnell was also cited for treating his administrative assistant unprofessionally and inappropriately by being rude and verbally abusive, by making frequent sexual references, by trying to involve her in his efforts to get dates, and by misleading her as to her prospects for being hired as food service director to the point where she took a leave from work, hired an attorney and filed a notice of claim against the district.

His attendance at work was poor, the board found. McDonnell was often absent for parts of the regular work day or entire work days without explanation and without having a contractual basis for the absence.

And he failed to include insurance coverage for employment claims despite the strong recommendation of the insurance agent for the district to have coverage. This has placed the district at risk of significant uninsured liability.

McDonnell was found to have circumvented employee bargaining teams, in violation of labor law, to try to get them to accept his position. He spoke privately to an interim high school principal who was not a member of the bargaining team to try to get him to speak to the administrative bargaining team about his position.

Last week the board held three consecutive nights of closed session hearings on dismissing McDonnell that totaled roughly 19 hours.

Attorney Bryan Dench of Skelton, Taintor and Abbott was hired to serve as the hearing officer for the school board. McDonnell was present with his attorneys and the superintendent was represented by SAD 15’s attorney, Bruce Smith of Drummond, Woodsum and McMahon of Portland.

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