HollyMatkinHolmdel, NJ – The mystery of who was defecating on and around a New Jersey high school track and football field was solved on Monday, when the school district’s superintendent was caught in the act.
The investigation began after staff and coaches at Holmdel High School told the school’s resource officer that they “were finding human feces” in the athletic area “on a daily basis,” the Holmdel Township Police Department said in a Facebook post.
Staff members joined the school resource officer in monitoring the area, and were “able to identify a subject responsible for the acts,” the department said.
Thomas Tramaglini, 42, was arrested at 5:50 a.m., after he was observed defecating on the football field, The Washington Post reported.
He was charged with public urination or defecation, lewdness, and discarding and dumping of litter, a police spokesman said.
“Given the nature of those charges, he asked for and was granted a paid leave of absence,” the Kenilworth Board of Education said in a Facebook post.
“Leaves can only be without pay in the face of indictments or tenure charges, as a matter of state law,” the board added.
On Wednesday, Board of Education attorney Vito Gagliardi said that Tramaglini had not resigned from his position, but did not provide any other details regarding the superintendent’s future employment, NJ.com reported.
Tramaglini, who collects an annual salary of $147,504, has headed the Kenilworth School District since August of 2015, NJ.com reported.
Public records also indicated that he works part-time as a professor at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education.
Tramaglini’s initial court appearance in Holmdel Municipal Court is scheduled for Monday at 8:15 a.m.