Colonial board elects treasurer, appoints solicitor and ratifies union agreement

The Colonial School District Board at its May meeting approved a series of governance and administrative actions: it elected Mark Digian as board treasurer for a one-year term starting July 1, appointed Beth Petruno as the district’s PSBA voting delegate for 2026, and appointed McNeese Wallace and Eric LLC as district solicitor for July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027 with an annual retainer of $22,500 and a base hourly rate of $210.

Separately, the board voted to ratify an agreement between the district and Teamsters Local Union No. 384, with the contract terms read into the public record. The chair and a board member handled motion introductions and the chair announced approvals after each motion; the public transcript does not record detailed roll-call vote tallies.

The board also approved administrative actions including authority for the superintendent to appoint qualified personnel to fill vacant positions between May 21 and the next regular board meeting in September 2026, contingent on ratification at the following public meeting. A settlement and release related to a student matter was approved as discussed in executive session; the transcript notes the agreement is confidential because of student privacy and did not disclose settlement terms.

Why it matters: The treasurer and solicitor appointments shape the board’s fiscal and legal oversight for the coming year; ratification of the Teamsters contract affects district labor relations and personnel costs. The superintendent’s interim hiring authority is a short-term administrative measure to keep operations staffed through the summer.

What’s next: The superintendent’s interim hires will be presented for ratification at the next public meeting in September; the solicitor appointment and union contract are effective as described in the motions read into the record.