Methuen mayor, solicitor describe ongoing litigation over city-school IT consolidation

City Solicitor and Mayor DJ Borrega updated the council on pending litigation over a mayoral executive order that sought to consolidate certain IT functions between city and school departments. The solicitor said the court has issued a scheduling order for an expedited trial after initial discovery and allowed most of the executive order to remain in effect pending litigation.

Solicitor: "The judge in the case did issue a ruling that allowed most of the mayor's executive order to take effect..." The legal representative told councilors she has observed limited compliance from the school department, saying the city's CIO has been "stonewalled" and has not received full access to school IT systems requested under the order.

Councilors pressed the mayor and solicitor about next steps, including the cost of outside counsel and options such as contempt motions or charter-based reorganizations. Several councilors criticized the expense of parallel legal teams and emphasized the impact on municipal finances. Mayor Borrega described the consolidation effort as an attempt to reduce redundant functions and save money, saying the special act that created the CAFO position (chapter cited in council discussion) supports consolidation efforts, and he expressed a desire to avoid prolonged litigation but noted the city has legal options.

Why it matters: The dispute touches core administrative authority and could alter how technology services are governed and paid for across city and school operations. The litigation outcome may affect city budget lines, staffing and future intergovernmental relations.

What's next: The solicitor said the case may be resolved through summary judgment or trial; councilors discussed whether the council should consider ordinances or other steps to clarify governance.