Windsor Board of Education Special Meeting Delayed

A Board of Education special meeting, which was to be held Tuesday, Nov. 27, has been postponed, according to board President Doreen Richardson.

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the issues at hand regarding the hiring of Dr. Marlon James.

Board members Paul Panos and Cristina Santos have claimed that Richardson and Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Villar violated a number of board policies when they led an effort to hire James, whose hiring was approved by the board, 6-3, in September.

In a memorandum addressed to Richardson and dated Nov. 13, the board's attorney Gary R. Brochu, of Shipman & Goodwin, addressed the issues that have been brought before the board.

One complaint, that a bidding process should have been followed in the hiring of James, refers to Board Policy 3100.  According to the policy, "the forgoing bidding procedure may be waived on a case by case basis." 

Brochu followed by saying that "the services to be provided by Dr. James, and approved by the board, is this type of unique service, one not easily reducible to the purchasing and bidding procedures set forth in Board Policy 3100." Brochu classified the use of the waiver in this case as "well-suited."

In regard to alleged "conflict of interest" issues that Richardson has a "personal" relationship with James, Brochu stated that Richardson had publicly disclosed to the Board that her "relationship with Dr. James involved her inviting him to make a presentation to a community group a few years ago," said Brochu. 

The policy also states examples of relationships that would constituted a conflict, none of which apply to Richardson and James.

A new date for the meeting has not yet been announced but board members are considering sometime in the first week of December.