Springfield City School Committee votes to enter executive session on collective bargaining; member to recuse

The Springfield City School Committee voted to enter an executive session to discuss collective bargaining with the SEA and SAS and recorded that one board member will recuse themself from an SEA matter, the committee said during the meeting.

The move came after School Committee member Mr. Collins made a motion ‘‘that we go into executive sessions in executive session for the purposes of discussion collective bargaining with the SEA and SAS as it is determined that a discussion in open session would have a detrimental effect on the school committee's bargaining session,’’ and the motion was seconded by Ms. Gresham.

An unidentified board member told the committee, “I will be entering into executive session on the student assignment services group, and I will then be recusing myself, to deal with the SEA matter, due to a conflict of interest.” That statement was entered on the public record before the vote.

Clerk roll call showed affirmative votes from Mr. Gonzales, Mr. Collins, Ms. Gresham, Vice Chair Latonia Naylor and Mayor Sarno. Attorney Murphy and Ms. Hurst were absent; Attorney Murphy sent regrets and, according to the record, cited a family matter. The committee said the motion passed and that it would return to the regular agenda after the executive session.

The action was procedural: the committee authorized a closed-door discussion on collective bargaining and recorded a recusal for a conflict of interest. The meeting record did not include further public debate of bargaining positions, and no contract, settlement or other bargaining outcome was announced in open session.