Incident comes as Adirondack Park Agency officials face questions about the workplace environment
By Zachary Matson
Within hours of an Adirondack Park Agency staff social event at a Saranac Lake bowling alley on Thursday night, Damion Stodola, the agency’s top attorney, was involved in a physical altercation with another patron at a Saranac Lake bar, according to witnesses and complaints filed with APA.
The scuffle took place at the Waterhole on Main Street in front of multiple agency staff members. Witnesses described Stodola and the other man briefly grappling and wrestling on the bar’s dance floor until they were pulled apart.
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At least two workplace violence incident reports were filed with Adirondack Park Agency management describing the fight and naming Stodola as a participant. An APA staffer, who requested anonymity out of fear of professional retaliation, called the incident an “embarrassment” for the agency.
The Waterhole management confirmed the altercation took place and said in a statement the venue “has a zero-tolerance policy for violence of any kind” and that the individuals involved were removed from the premises.
According to the statement: “The Waterhole has a zero-tolerance policy for violence of any kind. Our team is committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors. We have spent nearly 10 years building a positive reputation as a community-focused venue, and we take that responsibility seriously.
An incident involving a physical altercation occurred at the Waterhole during an event last week. We can confirm that the situation was immediately addressed. All individuals involved were promptly removed from the premises.
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It’s unfortunate when personal matters are brought into a public space, especially one dedicated to music, connection, and good times. We will continue to uphold high standards of safety and respect for all our guests and staff.”
The incident comes as APA officials face questions about the workplace environment after 20 union members anonymously signed a letter accusing Executive Director Barbara Rice and other management of cultivating a “culture of fear” that included “bullying, hurtful conflicts, and general abusive behavior.”
Organized by a staff “fun committee,” the bowling event aimed to bring APA staff and their families together in a social setting. Some APA staffers ended up at the Waterhole later in the evening for a summer-season concert series.
Turnover in agency legal staff
The agency recently has been marked by staff turnover among key positions in the agency’s legal department. Stodola replaced former counsel Chris Cooper, who left in 2023. Sarah Reynolds, Stodola’s No. 2 and the lawyer with the most experience at the agency, served her last day Friday. Reynolds, who had worked as associate counsel and previously served as the agency’s interim counsel, resigned after nearly 20 years with APA.
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Reynolds took a job with the Lake Placid-based law firm Norfolk Beier, which often represents permit applicants before APA. Reynolds declined to comment on her resignation.
“Sarah was responsible for guiding applicants, employees and board members through the review process for the most complex subdivision and development proposals presented to the agency,” according to the law firm’s announcement of Reynolds’ hiring.
Reynolds’ departure from APA leaves apparent vacancies within the agency’s legal division. Rice at the agency’s March meeting announced the hiring of a new associate attorney, Rob Vanderbles, who had worked at the Department of State. As associate attorney, Vanderbles was hired to oversee the agency’s two senior attorneys. But he has also since left APA.
Stodola, who previously worked as a lawyer at the New York City Commission on Human Rights, took over as APA counsel in February 2024. He provides legal advice to Rice, the APA board and is the agency’s liaison to lawyers in other parts of state government. The agency deals with numerous permitting issues involving the APA Act and agency regulations, classifies state land in the Adirondack Forest Preserve and confronts a steady stream of lawsuits targeting its decisions.
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Reached by phone on May 7, Stodola said that he “was not kicked out” of the Waterhole and declined to comment further about the altercation, referring questions to the agency’s communications staff. Counsel for Stodola has more recently stated that “at no point was Mr. Stodola ejected, directed, removed, or instructed to leave a Saranac Lake bar.”
Keith McKeever, APA director of public information, declined to comment about the altercation at the bar. He noted that Reynolds’ associate counsel position has been posted and that another legal position would be posted soon.
Addressing ongoing workplace concerns
Rice acknowledged during the March board meeting that she is working with the state Office of Employee Relations (OER) to address complaints from agency staffers; she said she would keep the APA board apprised. The state Inspector General’s office has also been examining the Adirondack Park Agency for more than a year.
“I want to make it very clear that we do not tolerate any type of bullying, intimidation or any other toxic behavior, and I’m committed to ensuring that everyone has a safe, respectful, harassment-free environment where they can do their best work,” Rice said during the agency’s last board meeting.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on May 14 to include Damion Stodola’s and his counsel’s denial that he was kicked out of the bar, which was not previously included. The entire statement provided by Waterhole management was also added.
Photo at top: Adirondack Park Agency Counsel Damion Stodola at an agency meeting in Ray Brook on March 13, 2025. Photo by Eric Teed