Lawrence City Council overrides mayor veto to post job descriptions for three appointed school committee seats

The Lawrence City Council on Thursday voted to override Mayor Brian A. De Pena’s veto and moved to post job descriptions for three appointed, at‑large seats on the newly reconstituted seven‑member school committee.

The override clears the way for the council’s personnel committee to post the positions, accept applications, interview candidates and appoint three members who — under the city’s Home Rule changes adopted earlier this year — would join three elected at‑large members and the mayor on the school committee.

Council President Rodriguez and councilors said the council drafted the job descriptions in public meetings earlier this year after the council’s Home Rule Petition was approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor. Senior Adviser (administration) told the council the mayor vetoed the posting because, in his view, parts of the job description duplicate duties spelled out in the city charter and he perceived an overreach into executive powers. “The mayor feels that there’s a problem of overreach into his executive powers,” the Senior Adviser said at the meeting.

The…