Board appoints Dr. Lisa Baughn as acting superintendent; trustees clash over process

The Newburgh Board of Education on Jan. 28 voted to add and then approve an item authorizing the board president to sign an acting-superintendent contract with Dr. Lisa Baughn effective Feb. 11, 2025, prompting sharp debate over whether the board had followed proper process.

Board President Christine Bello read the resolution authorizing the appointment and the board then voted to add that item to the meeting agenda. Several trustees and members of the public questioned why the district’s deputy superintendent, Onyx Peterson, who is carrying out daily executive duties in the superintendent’s absence, was not first considered or interviewed.

Trustee John Howard asked directly why Deputy Superintendent Onyx Peterson—whose job description the board read aloud during discussion—was not considered for the acting post. “If she, according to her job description, goes into the position of the superintendent in the absence, why are we overlooking her for this position?” Howard asked. The question prompted board members to say they had been advised to create two roles and that counsel had recommended separate arrangements.

Trustees also debated whether the board had adequate legal advice before approving the appointment. When a trustee asked for a legal opinion about appointing a candidate who might have pending litigation against the district, counsel declined to provide advice in open session and advised a motion to go into executive session for legal counsel. A motion to go into executive session for legal advice failed on a roll call. Several trustees said that the appointment felt premature without legal clarity and without interviews; others said the district needed an acting superintendent in place quickly.

The roll call recorded on the final vote to approve the acting-superintendent resolution included: Miss Politti: No; Mr. Stewart: Yes; Miss Christine Bello: Yes; Miss Thomasina Bello: Yes; Miss Mackenzie Boucher: Yes; Miss Victoria Boucher: Yes; Mr. Bergarelli: No; Mr. Duray: No. The clerk announced "That motion passes." The transcript records the appointment as approved.

Trustees who opposed the appointment described the action as premature and said it risked creating additional litigation or governance problems. One trustee said the board had “violated several processes.” Supporters said the appointment was necessary to keep district operations stable and noted the acting date of Feb. 11.

Ending: The board approved the acting-superintendent contract to take effect Feb. 11, 2025. Trustees and legal counsel signaled continuing disagreement about the process; committee follow-up and any legal advisories were left for subsequent meetings.