Update: Erin Smith replied to my emails that: The Sun did run a correction pertaining to the vote. Michael Lenzi declared Mary Jo Santoro a front-runner during a phone interview before the meeting: At the sub-committee meeting, David Laferriere said the Tech’s assistant superintendent makes more than $125,000 annually
So was the article slanted??
You can find the article, with the correct vote and expanded notes here: http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_14245846
Original Post:
On The Dracut Forum Blog Vocation School Committee Member Victor Olson claims reports by the Sun reporter are Incorrect:
There were several items in the Lowell SUN article that were totally misrepresented and would expect a correction was noted in the SUN for not correctly reporting the vote.
One Item is that I never said those applying to be the next superintendent of Greater Lowell Technical High School would find a salary less than $130,000 “insulting,” What I did is respond to is a collegue’s suggestion during discussions to a $110,000 low end of salary range and that a candidate for Superintendent would find that as “insulting” if offered the position given that assistant superintendents and administrators in districts throughout the area are at or more than that salary and you would not likely attract any outside interest. A salary of $130,000 is where most likely you would begin to generate outside candidate interest with the qualifications and licenses required. The $130,000 salary is where Dracut Supt. Mr Mullen is currently at and is the third from the bottom in salary for Superintendents in the region.
The Sun also misrepresented the subcommittee vote and initially reported it wrong as well. The motions and votes as they will be recorded in the minutes are as follows.
Mr O’Neil Made a Motion to set the advertised salary range between $120,000 and $160,000. The Motion failed due to lack of second.
Mr. Lenzi then made a Motion to set the advertised Salary range between $125,000 and $165,000 and was seconded by Mr. O’Hare. Motion failed. Lenzi and O’Hare YES, O’Neil and Olson NO.
Mr. O’Neil made another Motion to set the advertised salary range between $125,000 and $160,000 salary cap for top candidates and was seconded by Mr Olson. Mr Lenzi was the only opposing Vote.
Initially I had suggested a tighter range of $130,000 to $155,000 centered around the $142,500 state average would be competitive and may generate interest of some very qualified candidates however it did not have any support during discusions.
There were never any discussions surrounding any particular persons salaries and if the reporter reported that then that was her personal bias. Currently there are no candidates until an appilcation is formally submitted.
So Mr. Olson wants us to beleive Quotes Attrubuted to Lenzi and Laferrier were never said.
I am attempting to get a response from both the reporter Erin Smith or Campy
Here’s the Link to the Dracut Forum: http://www.dracutforum.net/2010/01/24/130k-an-insult-maybe-to-the-taxpayers/
