COSTA MESA : Ex-Superintendent’s Claim Is Rejected

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has rejected a workers’ compensation claim filed by former Supt. John W. Nicoll.

The details of Nicoll’s claim, filed in October, are confidential and Nicoll has said only that his “claim is in the process. Everything is pending.”

The state Workers’ Compensation Board will hold a hearing to decide the matter, said Forrest K. Werner, a Newport-Mesa school district board member.

Nicoll has declined to say how much money the claim seeks and what specific illnesses or medical expenses were cited.

Because the claim is a personnel matter, current Supt. Mac Bernd said: “The governing board of the district voted unanimously to reject all offers of settlement of the claim from Dr. Nicoll.”

But Werner, a longtime friend of Nicoll, said the former superintendent claims that the quadruple heart bypass surgery and bleeding ulcer he had in fall of 1992 can be attributed to job stress.

Werner joined the six other board members in voting against Nicoll’s claim.

Nicoll resigned last December after more than 20 years as the district’s top administrator. That happened weeks after his chief budget officer, Stephen A. Wagner, admitted embezzling about $4 million from the district.

Werner said that the district routinely rejects compensation claims and sends them to the state Workers’ Compensation Board to decide.