Just what is happening at Putnam High?

Date: 4/5/2011

April 6, 2011

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD — School Committee member and mayoral candidate Antonette Pepe wants the rest of the School Committee to hear what she and fellow School Committee member Christopher Collins learned about the investigation at Putnam Vocational and Technical High School in a closed-door executive session conducted during a City Council meeting last week.

Pepe has asked that an executive session be added to the next School Committee meeting so the rest of her colleagues can hear a presentation from City Auditor Mark J. Ianello and City Solicitor Edward Pikula about the investigation that has been taken place since last July.

Pepe told Reminder Publications what she heard was the most complete report on the investigation to date and that the School Committee had not yet heard such an accounting. She added she had only heard about one-quarter of the material in previous meetings.

"They have an obligation to tell us since we vote on the budget," Pepe explained.

Pikula said in the open part of the City Council subcommittee meeting called by Council Tim Rooke on March 31 that the new principal at Putnam discovered irregularities in the school's financial records and made a request for an audit.

Rooke explained that Putnam was singular among the city's high schools as teachers have access to individual accounts to fund classroom activities to support their vocation.

Pikula said there have been some personnel actions that have taken place, but he would not reveal any details other to add there have been suspensions, resignations and terminations.

Pepe said he was "disturbed" that school committee members did not know the names of those who have had disciplinary action and have kept their jobs.

"Are we keeping incompetent people in place?" she asked.

Pepe also wanted to know if those people who have resigned because of what they did would be criminally charged and if there is missing funds involved, would those people be ordered to return those monies.

She said that she knew herself of someone who had been terminated from Putnam because of stealing funds. Ianello said he had no knowledge of such an incident and suggested that Pepe called the city's Fraud Line to report it.

Each vocational shop at the high school has its own budget, Pepe said and all purchases are recorded in the city's accounting system, MUNIS. She asserted that reporting "hasn't been done right in six years." During that time Putnam's principal was Kevin McCaskill, who is now working in the Hartford, Conn. school system.

Because Putnam received federal grants, Pepe wondered if this investigation would also involve federal officials.

Rooke said city councilors would receive another update in 30 days on the investigation's progress.