The Norwood School Committee voted 4 to 1, with two abstentions, not to grant School Superintendent Philip O. Coakley any pay raise for the coming year.
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Committee Chairman Charles C. Saraca revealed the decision following an early morning closed session at the school administration building, stating bluntly that the salary freeze was due to dissatisfaction with his performance. The motion to deny a raise was introduced by member Richard Joseph and seconded by Joseph M. Pentowski.
The two board members who abstained, Rudith Berkowitz and William F. Egan, walked out of the meeting in protest. Visibly upset in the parking lot afterward, Rudith Berkowitz commented, They’re trying to ruin him, though both abstaining members declined to discuss the executive proceedings further.
Despite freezing the superintendent’s salary—which stood at $28,798 the previous year—the committee voted to approve salary increases for other key personnel. Assistant superintendents Umberta V. Napoleone and James R. Donovan were awarded a 6.5 percent pay increase by a majority vote, while Supervisor of Custodians John P. Maleiko received a $1,000 raise. Chairman Charles C. Saraca publicly criticized Rudith Berkowitz and William F. Egan for walking out, stating, I was very disturbed that they walked out and didn’t want any part of the discussion. They always took part in other salary discussions in the past.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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