Brentwood board authorizes legal defense for employees and trustees named in lawsuit
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Summary
The board approved a resolution authorizing legal representation for multiple district employees and trustees in pending litigation and designated law firms to represent the Brentwood Union Free School District in the matter.
The Brentwood Union Free School District Board of Education voted April 16 to authorize legal defense for named employees and trustees who are parties to pending litigation. In the resolution the board cited Education Law and the Public Officers Law as relevant statutes and stated it did not waive the district’s rights to challenge aspects of the legal action.
The resolution, read by the Chair, identified the employees Wanda Ortiz Rivera and Katie Lasky and listed board members Eileen Felix, Cynthia Seferi (appears as 'Cynthia Saffery' elsewhere in the transcript), Julia Burgos, Hassan Ahmed, Maria Malave, Brandon Garcia, and Eileen Harmon. The board “hereby designates a law firm designated by Neister or Ingram and Smith Lehi to represent Brentwood UFSD in the above mentioned legal action,” the read resolution said.
Board members moved and seconded the motion to approve the resolution. The board approved the measure by voice vote.
Why it matters: Authorizing legal representation places the district’s legal defense under designated counsel and signals the board’s decision to provide counsel and coverage consistent with the cited statutory authority. The resolution references statutory protections and insurance or policy provisions as bases for defense.
What’s next: The designated counsel will represent the district in the identified legal action; the board’s authorization was adopted at the April 16 meeting.
