Board of Education authorizes and approves administrator contracts at special meeting

Posted By: David Fortier August 3, 2024

By David Fortier

At a special meeting of the Board of Education last month, board members voted to confirm administrative contracts that had been signed earlier but did not fall under the purview of the former superintendent at the end of her employment.

“Our concern was that contracts were issued without express board’s authority,” Pons said. “We wanted to make sure that these contracts were offered and signed with the board’s authority.”

The oversight was discovered as the board began deliberations over budget cuts resulting from a city budgeting process that has left it scrambling.

“In the course of taking that action, the board became aware that Central Office administrators had received contracts for future years without board action,” Pons said.

“It is the superintendent’s responsibility to evaluate and negotiate the Central Office administrators’ contracts, and it’s the board’s responsibility to authorize the contracts.”

At the July 24 meeting, non-union administrator contracts were approved for the following: Carly Fortin, Chief of Academics; Amy Martino, Director of Pupil Personnel Services; Kim Culkin, Chief of Talent Management; and Lynn Boisvert, Director of Finance.

The board voted, 7-2 for authorizing the contracts, with Eric Carlson, Maria Simmons, Jill Fitzsimons-Bula, Dante Tagariello, Kristen Giantonio, Lorianne Osenkowski and Pons voting yes and Russell Anderson and Jennifer Van Gorder voting no.

An amendment to vote individually on the contracts was defeated, 5-4, with Carlson, Simmons, Bula-Fitzsimons, Tagariello and Pons voting no and Giantonio, Van Gorder, Osenkowski and Russell voting yes.

The contracts were approved without revisions, Pons said. She signed all four contracts the next day.

“It is crucial for the board to exercise its statutory responsibilities and for the students and families in Bristol to have access to accurate information and complete transparency regarding the Board of Education’s actions,” Pons said.

All TBE readers, supporters and donors                

The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.                

  • Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.                
  • Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.                
  • Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.                

Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.