Beverly School Committee Accused Of Breaking Open Meeting Law

BEVERLY, MA — A Beverly resident filed a complaint claiming the Beverly School Committee broke the Massachusetts Open Meeting law when it chose a new superintendent in February. Michael Grassia claims members deliberated or counted votes before the Feb. 27 public meeting where the board chose Suzanne Charochak from a pool of three finalists for the opening. An attorney for the school committee denies the allegations.

Lauren Goldberg, who was hired to respond to the complaint, said while members had conversations and exchanged email and text messages, they dealt with logistics of the decision and did not involve discussion of the candidates. "None of such e-mails or texts involves comments about School Committee members' individual choices with respect to appointment of a new Superintendent," Goldberg wrote in a response to the complaint to the Massachusetts Attorney General's office.

Charochak was chosen to replace Steven Hiersche, who is retiring at the end of the school vote, in a 4-3 vote following a two-hour public hearing on Feb. 27.

For more on this story, see the Salem News.