Stonington -- The attorney conducting the school board’s investigation into how school officials handled the allegations against former high school teacher and coach Timothy Chokas estimates that the probe will cost a minimum of $19,240 and 74 hours to complete.

In a letter to board Chairwoman Alexa Garvey, attorney Christine Chinni of Chinni & Meuser in Avon also noted that she will conduct interviews with current and former students, teachers, coaches and former administrators who “volunteer to participate” and those interviews will be limited to “relevant evidence.”

At a Feb. 27 school board meeting, Chinni had told the board that it has the authority to direct its employees to speak with an investigator.

She also wrote that she will also interview current administrators who have agreed to cooperate.

The scope of Chinni’s investigation will involve claims about Chokas, the action or omissions of school professionals in regard to the claims and the impact of school policies and/or the school climate and culture on the reporting and investigations of Chokas’ alleged conduct.

Chinni outlined for the board a minimum duration of the five tasks she plans. This includes 10 hours to review records, 14 hours interviewing eight staff members, 25 hours interviewing 17 current and former students, 15 hours interviewing 10 adults such as parents and 10 hours to write her report and present it to the public. At a rate of $260 she put the overall cost at $19,240. She will not bill the school system for the time it takes her to travel to interviews and meetings.

She cautioned the board that the budget is an initial estimate which could be revised as the investigation develops and “potentially more individuals than expected participate in the investigatory interviews and/or more claims than previously known come to light.”

If that occurs, Chinni said she would keep the board apprised of the increase in expected hours of work and would be available to meet with the board to review its desire to discuss any significant increase in the scope of the investigation. She wrote that she will also provide Garvey with written updates of her progress which can be shared with the media and the community.

Garvey has said that if the cost of the probe is in the $20,000 range, school officials would have to find the money in their budget.

The school district nearly has exhausted the $65,000 it set aside for legal fees in the 2019-20 budget, which does not end until June 30. Garvey has said she does not intend to ask for an additional appropriation from the Board of Finance, adding that taxpayers should not be asked to fund the investigation.

Through Dec. 31, 2019, the school system has spent $96,677 on legal fees related to Chokas. This involved legal assistance for Chokas’ separation agreement, a subsequent review of school system policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment by the state Office of the Child Advocate and reviewing, responding to and opposing Freedom of Information requests from The Day.

The numerous complaints against Chokas involve alleged inappropriate touching of and making inappropriate comments to female students. Those who have spoken to The Day say the touching was pervasive, occurred daily and dates back to 2004.

But Superintendent Van Riley and high school Principal Mark Friese testified under oath that the various reports lodged against Chokas by students, referred to in school documents and emails in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019 and from the girls themselves, were not considered complaints. Instead, Riley and Friese considered them “reports,” “interactions with people” and “concerns” expressed by students and others. These categorizations meant that the complaints were not placed in Chokas’ personnel file.

Chinni told the board last month that she does not see any relevant distinction between a complaint and a concern.

In addition, Chokas was never disciplined for his alleged actions, according to school officials, although in 2013 he was instructed by school officials who received complaints about his behavior to avoid touching female students and making them feel uncomfortable. In 2017, he was issued a formal letter of concern and ordered to come up with a “personal action plan that outlines strategies and practices that will prevent your students from developing uncomfortable feelings in your classroom.”

In January 2019 a female student complained to a staff member that Chokas was touching a female classmate and making inappropriate comments to her. That incident led to Chokas being allowed to resign with his full salary of $81,396 and benefits through the end of the school year. The district also agreed not to fire Chokas or disclose any information concerning his employment to anyone, except as required by law.

The district continues to await the results of the state child advocate’s review of the school system’s policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment in the wake of the Chokas controversy.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Stonington