Methuen School Committee authorizes legal challenge to mayor's IT-consolidation executive order

The Methuen School Committee on June 9 voted to seek a court ruling that an executive order from the mayor directing consolidation of municipal and school information-technology functions is improper and to ask the court for a preliminary injunction to stop the order.

School committee legal counsel Michael McNulty told the committee that, after review, "the answer is plainly no. It is not legal." McNulty said the mayor's order conflicts with the statutory process in Chapter 71, section 37M, which the law says requires a majority vote of both the school committee and the city council before a municipality may consolidate school administrative functions with municipal services.

Committee members moved and then voted to file a verified complaint seeking declaratory relief and to ask the court for a preliminary injunction; the motion also authorized Superintendent Dr. Mary Quang to execute the complaint on behalf of the district. The roll-call vote recorded all present committee members in favor.

Why it matters: The executive order would change who controls procurement, staffing and technical support for networks, devices and student data unless checked by the courts or by the votes required under state law. Committee members said they support investigating shared services in principle but objected to the mayor issuing a unilateral executive order without the statutory votes the counsel cited.

What the committee said and did: McNulty read the relevant statute and an earlier Division of Local Services memorandum that had recommended municipalities explore consolidation but did not supplant the statute's required votes. The committee's motion directs legal action and asks the court to hold the executive order has no legal effect pending judicial review.

Immediate implications: The superintendent and the school department will continue operations as usual while the legal challenge proceeds, the committee said. Committee members also asked the administration to prepare any documents the district might need to defend its statutory authority and to brief the committee as the litigation progresses.

Ending: The committee said it remained open to future, statute-compliant discussions about shared services where the district and city can demonstrate clear, documented savings or operational benefits. For now, the school department will not implement changes directed by the mayor's executive order and will pursue the court review the committee authorized.