AG's Office: Milford School Committee Violated Open Meeting Law

The Milford School Committee violated the state Open Meeting Law by not including a reference to the school system security director position on a May agenda. The position was eliminated in the May 10 meeting.

Editor's Note: the following is a Nov. 19 letter to Milford Town Counsel Gerald Moody from the state Attorney General's Office, and refers to an Open Meeting Law complaint filed with the state by former Milford Public Schools Security Director David Cutler. Cutler's position was eliminated by the School Committee in a May 10 meeting. The 4-3 committee vote was made in a public session that followed a closed session. The meeting agenda had no reference to a discussion of school security. The committee later voted to have a subcommittee review the need for the district security position, but by then, Cutler had found a new job. Contacted Thursday, School Committee Chairman Patrick Holland said he accepts responsibility for the Open Meeting …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Security Director of Milford Schools Resigns

David Cutler, whose position as security director for Milford Public Schools was eliminated, then restored, by the School Committee, has resigned. In a statement, he said he had secured another job following the unexpected cut.

Editor's Note: The following statement was released Monday by Milford Schools Security Director David Cutler, who has announced his resignation. Although I was pleased that the Milford School Committee recently voted to reinstate the position of Director of Safety and Security for the Milford Public Schools and to honor the balance of my three-year written contract it was hardly an endorsement of the position, it is with great regret that I have tendered my resignation. I was first informed of my termination on the evening of Thursday May 10. It came as a complete and utter shock to my wife and me who had no forewarning that a majority of the school committee membership intended to eliminate my position as Director of Safety and Security. …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

School Committee Restores Security Director Job

Milford School Committee members voted 5-2 Thursday to reverse a May 10 vote that eliminated the position of district security director. A two-man study committee will examine the position and security at all buildings, instead.

The position of Milford schools' security director is back in place. School Committee members voted 5-2 Thursday to strike their May 10 vote, which eliminated the position. The latest vote followed a tense period in which several members criticized each other for how they handled the original vote, or its aftermath. Reading from a statement, committee member Robert Lanzetta accused member Paul Mazzuchelli of "sensationalizing" the original decision, which eliminated the job of David Cutler. He said he would not be intimidated by "bullying" from other members, or by the threat of a lawsuit, in making decisions. Mazzuchelli, who said he had sworn at member Donald Quattrochio during discussion for the original vote, was the subject of a …

• Photos (4)

Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: June 7

The Milford School Committee will discuss and consider whether to reinstate the position of security director in its meeting Thursday.

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. The Milford School Committee meets at 7 p.m. Thursday, and the agenda includes a discussion of the security director position, which was cut in a meeting of the committee last month. The security director coordinates all security for the schools in the system. The position has been held for the past five years by David Cutler. 2. A defense counsel conflict has prompted a three-week delay in the scheduled depositions of family members of Nicolas Guaman, who is charged in the death of motorcyclist Matthew Denice. Depositions of the four witnesses, who are family …

• Photos (1)

School Committee Chairman on Security Director, Staff Cuts

Patrick Holland, chairman of the Milford School Committee, released the following statement Thursday, on the vote to remove the position of security director, as well as cut two curriculum supervisors and two teachers.

Editor's Note: the following statement by Patrick Holland, chairman of the Milford School Committee, was read at the meeting Thursday, prior to a vote to reconsider the decision to cut the position of security director. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously wrote, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant." I would like to take a moment to disinfect the school committee by shining some light on our special budget meeting of May 10. At that meeting the school committee voted to approve its final round of budget cuts for the 2012-13 school year, and as a result, three administrators and two teachers lost their jobs. However, this was not the total net effect of our reduced budget, as we could not afford to fill one other vacancy left by …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)