Town Pays Former Montville Police Sergeant $15,000 to Settle Lawsuit

The settlement, $15,000, is a fraction of what was paid to ousted Water Pollution Control Authority assistant superintendent Tom McNally, whose lawsuit was settled last week and a check for $135,000 is in the mail.

But Richard Lenda wasn’t fired – he retired for the Montville Police force. The basis of his lawsuit was his allegation he was blacklisted following his departure.

Ledna, a former sergeant, alleged specious poor performance reviews made by Lt. Leonard Bunnell cost him jobs after he left the police department.

In addition to the $15,000 payout, the settlement documents, which Patch obtained through a Freedom of Information request, read that the files Bunnell kept on Lenda will now not be part of the former police officer’s permanent personnel file. 

Additionally, Lenda, 54, agreed not to pursue any further legal action against the town but specifically Bunnell and then-Mayor and now Town Councilor Joe Jaskiewicz.