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Bristol approves $273,404 for new ESC administration after heated debate over hiring and transparency
Summary
Voters approved Article 7 to fund the Educational Service Center (ESC) system administration, 101-88, after residents raised questions about hiring practices, the necessity of an executive director and potential conflicts of interest; school board presenters said the plan yields net savings and includes a state subsidy.
Bristol voters on April 28 approved Article 7, authorizing $273,403.74 for system administration of the new Educational Service Center (ESC), after more than an hour of presentations and public comment about the ESC's structure and hiring practices.
The school board's presenter, Becky, told the meeting the ESC model produces administrative savings by consolidating roles and capturing revenues such as rent from shared facilities. She said the board calculated net savings of $172,651 and an ESC assessment for Bristol of $349,573.60 compared with the town's prior AOS assessment of $331,583.
Resident John Gomez urged voters to reject the proposed administrative budget unless the board removed the executive director position and provided detailed job descriptions and hiring disclosures. "When we suspect that requested funding will not support the education of our children, that is when we have the power as a community to step in and say, we won't pay for it," Gomez said, alleging the ESC board rejected hiring-committee recommendations and expressing concern about conflicts of interest.
Catherine Thompson, who said she organized the executive director hiring, defended the process as legitimate and deliberate. "The hiring committee provided a recommendation. The board had the authority to choose the most qualified candidate," Thompson said, adding that the executive director role is necessary to run the ESC.
Emil Lugash, also a school board member, said the Department of Education informed the board that an executive director is part of the operating model for the ESC and that legal counsel advised the board on the structure.
Other residents offered a range of views. Jessica Westhaver said she contacted the state and was told ESCs may choose whether to combine superintendent and executive director roles, and she urged the town not to lock in multi-year contracts during the ESC's trial year. Sarah Kennedy, who participated on the recommending committee, pointed to a state subsidy that offsets half the executive director salary and said the FY27 budget increase is approximately 1.6%.
After discussion, a motion was made to end debate and proceed to a hand-count vote. The moderator announced the tally as 101 yes, 88 no, and declared Article 7 passed.
The vote allows the school committee to expend the stated sum for system administration; residents and board members said the ESC will be monitored and evaluated as it begins operations on July 1.
