SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING CALLED TO HIRE LAWYER FOR SUPERINTENDENT EMPLOYMENT ISSUES

David B. Rubin

The Board of Education has called yet another special meeting, this one for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Columbia High School library.

The limited agenda states only that the board plans to hire attorney David B. Rubin of Metuchen to advise on issues related to Superintendent John Ramos' employment.

The attached resolution says, in part:

"Mr. Rubin shall provide legal advice and representation as may be requested by the board or its duly authorized representatives pertaining to the board's employment relationship with the Superintendent of Schools."

It authorizes the district to hire Rubin at a rate of $185 per hour beginning April 19 through the board reorganization meeting of January 2018.

It is unclear why the hire is being done or what aspect of the board's relationship with the superintendent is at issue. 

The board has been reviewing how to react to the expected lifting of the state superintendent salary cap that had limited Ramos' salary to $177,500 per year. The expected salary cap change, most likely in May, would allow a raise of up to $191,000.

Ramos is in the second year of a five-year contract. 

The board held a previous special closed meeting on April 3 to discuss Ramos' contract but no information has been revealed about that meeting, or any future plans for his salary or contract.

The district has yet to respond to requests for comment or explanation about this upcoming meeting.  

This marks the 10th such special session the board has held since July 2016, and the third in the past month.