Mid Rivers Newsmagazine 5-1-24

May 1, 2024
10 I NEWS I MID RIVERS NEWSMAGAZINE
Wentzville superintendent to receive nearly $1 million in separation agreement
@MIDRIVERS_NEWS
MIDRIVERSNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
By JESSICA MARIE BAUMGARTNER
Wentzville School District Superintendent
Dr. Danielle Tormala has announced
a sabbatical and her early retirement after
serving only two years in the position. In
addition, she is receiving a nearly $1 million
total payout as part of a separation
agreement.
The announcement of Tormala’s retirement
was sent in an email to district families
on April 12. In the message, Tormala
stated, “This role has challenged me and
allowed me to grow both personally and
professionally. While this decision comes
with mixed emotions, I am confident it
is the right choice for the district, for my
family and for me personally.”
Tormala did not explain the reason for
her departure, but stated, “My decision
was made collaboratively with the Board
of Education, and this transition will allow
for continued progress for the district.”
This came after the Wentzville School
Board held an “emergency meeting” on
Apr. 11. The details of this session remain
closed.
Tormala’s separation agreement with the
school district discloses the terms of her
sabbatical leading into early retirement.
Although she was under contract to work
for the district through June 30, 2027, she
started a sabbatical on April 12, and her
retirement will now begin on June 30 of
this year, according to the agreement.
She will receive two $492,500 payments.
The first is due by May 3, and the second
is due by June 30. A third payment of
$42,558.50 will also be remitted by June
30 for unused vacation days.
“The consideration provided by the district
under this agreement shall be made in
return for settlement of any and all claims
that Dr. Tormala may have against the district,
and its affiliates and subsidiaries,” the
agreement states.
The agreement prevents Tormala from
taking legal action against the district and
those related to it and also prevents the
district and board members from filing suit
against her.
Tormala is now barred from seeking
employment with the district in the future,
and must cooperate with current pending
lawsuits.
In 2023, interactions between Tormala
and newly elected school board members
were alleged in a Change.org petition to
have her removed.
The petition accused her of holding
“closed-door meetings with selected board
members and the board attorney as a tactic
to intimidate and single out each new
board member.” This came as the school
board was discussing the district’s biological
sex bathroom policy.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew
Bailey filed a lawsuit in the fall alleging
Sunshine Law violations, and then in February
sent a letter to Tormala warning her
of further alleged incidents.
“I understand that the Wentzville School
Board initiated an investigation into the
three whistleblowers and, for the past
several months, the district or the rest of
the board has been taking steps to silence
them,” Bailey said in the letter.
It is not known if this lawsuit or other
incidents affected the decision for Tormala
to retire.
In the meantime, Dr. Jeri LaBrot and
Brian Bishop have stepped into the newly
vacated role as co-interim superintendents.
“As co-interims, we are committed to
serving our community to ensure student
learning and district operations continue
without interruption,” they said in a joint
statement.
Wente’s Roadhouse coming soon to Defiance
By JOHN TREMMEL
The Defiance Roadhouse, known
affectionately by locals for years as
“the squirrel bar,” has been closed
for about six months, but now has a
new lease on life and is targeted to
reopen as Wente’s Roadhouse sometime
between May 19 and June 1.
The actual opening date depends on
how much time is needed to complete
repairs and obtain the required
permits. The Hoffmann Companies
property in Defiance is now being
leased-to-own by Marla Conn.
Conn said the Defiance Roadhouse
building “is from 1930, and, nobody’s
fault, during this past winter when the
restaurant was closed, water pipes
burst and damaged every sink, every
toilet, the walls and the floors. There
were leaks and holes everywhere.”
Conn said she has been working
with Don Simon, chief operating officer
for Hoffmann Companies’ Missouri operations,
to get the repairs completed. While
the Hoffmann Companies have received
criticism regarding the economic development
of Defiance and Augusta, Conn
spoke highly of her interactions with the
company.
“They have been very cooperative and are
working to fix the holes and other damage
from the burst pipes,” Conn said. “Don has
been great. I want to be clear: they are not
bad people. I believe the Hoffmanns had
good intentions but were just not equipped
Wente’s Roadhouse under renovation and rehab, April 21, 2024.
to run a restaurant such as the Roadhouse.
Let’s just move on and move forward.”
She signed the Roadhouse lease in early
April.
Conn has been at the Defiance Roadhouse
while repairs are being done and has
been working inside to set up the business.
While she has been on-site, people have
been stopping by to see what is going on.
One of her visitors was the husband of
the woman whose grandfather created the
squirrels that have been part of the unusual
decorations within the Roadhouse for
years. Conn sent the husband home with
(John Tremmel photo)
one of the squirrels as a gift, bringing the
memories along with it. Conn still has
some of the stuffed squirrels and will continue
to showcase them in the bar.
Wente’s Roadhouse menu will include
wings, pizza, specialty sandwiches, burgers,
ribs, appetizers, salads and soft drinks.
Billed as a “food shack and saloon,” it will
have beer and adult beverages. Conn said
it will be opening for breakfast as well.
Conn also is the owner of the original
Wente’s restaurant and bar at 18000 Chesterfield
Airport Road in Chesterfield Valley.
That landmark Wente’s is known as a “nofrills
American restaurant serving burgers,
sandwiches, wings and beer amid
sports memorabilia.” The location is
popular and frequently busy.
She bought the business from Terry
Wente in 2020, during the COVID-19
pandemic. She added a temporary tent
to accommodate outside and socialdistanced
seating during the pandemic,
then installed a permanent, canvaswalled
and canvas-roofed structure for
an outdoor patio
Conn holds a Master of Science
degree in elementary education and
reading. She taught for 15 years in New
York, has written dozens of children’s
books, is a reading-literacy specialist
and is an educational consultant. She
continues to write and consult from her
home in Wildwood, she said.
Conn and her family moved to Chesterfield
15 years ago after selling their
book distribution company to a St.
Louis-based company. While Conn’s husband
does not have ownership in the bar,
he is her best customer and very supportive,
she said. He is building a warehouse
for The Classroom Library Company in
Chesterfield on Edison Road, close enough
to golf cart over to Wente’s for lunch every
day.
“The original Wente’s will remain open,
and we are excited to have a second location
in a nearby community,” Conn said.
“Both Wente’s and Wente’s Roadhouse are
stand-alone businesses that cater to the
community and bring people together.”