Last month’s Gazette published a response to a concerned citizen who asked our staff to determine whether or not a member of the Regional District #11 Board of Education was also a paid employee of the school the board governs, which would constitute a violation of State law. Connecticut General Statute 10-232 states that: “no member of the board of education shall be employed for compensation by the board of which he or she is a member in any position in the school system.” After attending a board meeting, it was confirmed that Stephanie Harrington, representative member from Chaplin, has served as a cross country coach for Parish Hill Middle/High School and has been compensated for the position.
The second part of the citizen’s question asked the length of Ms. Harrington’s employment at the school. A Freedom of Information request submitted by the Gazette has now been answered and reveals that Ms. Harrington has served as a coach since 2012, the year she was appointed to the RD#11 Board of Education. The Employee Transaction Reports provided by RD#11 Superintendent Ken Henrici document that from 2012 to present, Ms. Harrington has earned $25,061.
Ms. Harrington was appointed to the RD#11 school board in December of 2012. She has served as a representative on regional committees, including the Central Office Committee and the Dissolution Committee which was formed after a majority vote of the district’s towns forced a study on the advisability of dissolving the regional school district. Ms. Harrington was responsible for supplying the financial information which formed the basis for the committee’s reason for deciding against district dissolution.
The answer to the citizen’s final question – “why was this not caught and addressed by current administration and remaining board members” — remains unknown. Boards of Education and the Superintendents they employ as “chief executive officers” are legally responsible for following all relevant State statutes. Reportedly, Ms. Harrington is no longer serving in her capacity as coach, which is, thus far, the only public acknowledgement of the violation. However, that resignation does not address what the pertinent statute stipulates: “If any member of such board is employed contrary to the provisions of this section, the office to which he or she was elected or appointed shall become vacant.”
Whether or not school, Town or State officials intend to pursue the matter is also unknown.
Dayna McDermott