Michael Callahan is apparently in violation of a conflict of interest provision.
MINOT – The School Committee will hold a special meeting within the next two weeks to decide whether its newest member can legally serve on the board.
Michael Callahan, who was elected to the board March 5, apparently is in violation of a conflict of interest provision in state law that would prohibit him from serving on the board in the school district where a family member is employed.
Callahan’s wife is on the staff of the Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls. School Union 29 is comprised of Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland, making Callahan, in some part, the boss of Superintendent Nina Schlikin who, in turn, is his wife’s ultimate superior.
With all concerned completely unaware of the potential problem, Callahan was duly sworn in at the March 6 town meeting and took full part in a special School Committee meeting two weeks ago.
However, mindful of the legal ramifications, Chairwoman Colleen Quint began Tuesday night’s regular meeting with a request to recording secretary Nikki Verrill that she take particular note of exactly who votes for or against every item on the evening’s agenda.
High on the agenda was the question of what to do with the remnants of the slash pile next to the Minot Consolidated School. Town meeting voters asked the School Committee to clean up the mess left over from the small logging operation next to the school.
Quint noted that residents Hal Bridgham, Rick Nichols and Allen Theriault had volunteered to help but that the board had to coordinate efforts, establishing the overall scope and timing of the work.
Board members Chris Woodford and Callahan were charged to come up with a plan.
Gordon Murray, Union 29 director of operations, told the board he would soon have quotes for the work to change the Minot Consolidated School’s front entrance.
Murray said the changes were based on plans developed by Douglass Richmond Architects. He noted that the state fire marshal will give final approval to the plans.
Town meeting voters approved $20,000 for the renovations that are intended to give the administration office direct monitoring of visitors to the school.
Quint publicly thanked resident Todd Olfene for donating more than $2,000 worth of security equipment to the school. He noted that the free surveillance cameras that Olfene installed are now in operation.
With Schlikin attending an out-of-town conference, Assistant Superintendent Bill Doughty presented the superintendent’s report that included notification that Schlikin was making appointments to three stipended positions.
Board member Steve Holbrook voiced concern when he learned the technology coordinator position, going to computer teacher Nicholas Chovanes, carried a $5,000 stipend, retroactive to the start of the school year.
“When did we vote to give the superintendent the power to name stipended positions?” asked Holbrook.
Holbrook noted that he wasn’t taking issue with Chovanes’ qualifications or with what he will be doing but rather with the erosion of the School Committee’s duties and responsibilities.
The demands on what Chovanes is being asked to do have exploded with the responsibilities required by the laptop program. Doughty noted that many districts have had to hire a full-time person and that Minot is getting a good deal.
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