School Committee Votes to Remove Superintendent From Sister-in-Law Hiring Process

GILL — July 25, 2023 — Gill-Montague School Committee unanimously removed its superintendent from a family-member hiring decision Tuesday after a formal state ethics disclosure. Superintendent Brian disclosed that High School and Middle School Principal Christopher Barnes wished to hire Melissa De Lorenzo — the superintendent's sister-in-law — as a 213-day guidance office assistant, prompting the superintendent to contact the state Ethics Commission and the district's attorney before the meeting. The committee voted 6-0 to authorize Business Operations Director Joanne Bleier to set De Lorenzo's hourly rate and complete the hiring in the superintendent's place, with contingencies barring the superintendent from supervising, evaluating, or handling any grievance involving De Lorenzo. The committee also approved four financial warrants totaling roughly $591,816 and reappointed Dean Singer as district physician. Two open Montague seats following Nick Licata's resignation leave the committee at risk of falling short of its five-member quorum at the August 8 meeting, with at least two members already confirmed absent.