Sunday, March 22, 2015

Henry Bousquet has always supported New Bedford Educators Association

In this picture, Henry is addressing student and teacher safety in New Bedford Public Schools

From the Councilor: 

"Since April 17, 2014, I have been performing my duties as a City Councilor without pay while I examined an apparent conflict in state regulations (MGL Ch. 39, Sec.6A.) regarding compensation of public employees as it concerns my career as a public educator and my public service as an elected official of Ward 3. 

In March of 2014, I received a call from the state, followed by a letter from the Ethics Commission, which stated in a legally complex manner that I unknowingly had a “conflict of interest.” Somehow my career as an educator at Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech was in conflict with my duties as a city councilor. The conflict is not in the work I do, but because of the fact that I receive a salary from both positions and they are from the same municipality. It stated I had 30 days to choose one salary only. Apparently, because of a court ruling the ethics law conflicted in definition in such a way that I and my employers were unaware: based on the phrasing of the law, it seems regional school district employees and its teachers are municipal employees. Despite the fact that no “actual, material conflict exists” I am not allowed to collect the pay I have earned." 

If you believe the councilor should get paid for his work, please consider signing the petition today!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The law is very clear. Online petitions don't make the unethical and illegal go away

Anonymous said...

If only they did. If only they did. Sitting on your arse doesn't do anything either.

Anonymous said...

Isn't that the New
Bedford Administration's mantra-unethical and illegal .

Anonymous said...

Also some principals......