John Descoteaux, District 8 (Upper Highlands) City Councilor-elect, is retiring earlier than planned from the Lowell School Department.
Descoteaux originally planned to retire as Transportation Director for LPSD July 2, 2024. The plan was to then stay on in a consulting capacity to assist his successor with the start of the 2024-25 school year, the most hectic time of year for that position.
However, after consulting with the State Ethic Commission, Descoteaux was informed that under that scenario, he would not be allowed to work in any capacity for the schools until his tenure as a City Councilor was complete, plus an additional six months. The other option to avoid an ethics violation was for him to retire before being sworn in as a councilor next Tuesday, and then work as a consultant for up to 500-hours during the calendar year of 2024.
As a result, Descoteaux is working his last day as a Lowell Public Schools employee today, and can then begin in a consulting capacity while helping train an eventual successor in 2024.
Who that successor is has yet to be determined. Superintendent of Schools Liam Skinner says the job posting closes at the end of today, meaning it will still be a couple of weeks before the process concludes and a replacement is selected.
As for the $25,000 City Council stipend, despite some confusion and speculation in the political “bubble” regarding the agenda item for the January 2, 2024 meeting, Descoteaux tells InsideLowell he will not be collecting the stipend and that the reason for the particular motion is to meet the requirements allowing him to receive the negotiated “consulting fee.”
Another agenda item for next Tuesday night’s meeting addresses the councilor-elect stepping down from the city’s License Commission.
Descoteaux and the rest of the City Council will be sworn in next Tuesday during a 10am ceremony at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, along with the rest of his colleagues for the 2024-25 council term
2 responses to “Descoteaux Retiring: “Double-Dip” Concerns Unfounded”
Please publish the rest of the posting for clarification. The City Solicitor is causing this confusion , the fact that a letter signed by the city solicitor clearly states
In order to hold and be paid for the second position he must be exempted from the provisions of Mass General law chapter 268, a section 20 has set forth in the attached vote
It does not say anything about him resigning or retiring early and there is no consulting contract on the school committee agenda so if he resigns, is he volunteering his time until the school committee approves a contract?
Of course the speculation was he was double dipping with approval!
I believe the confusion stems from the wording of “second position.”
Not sure how the “mechanics” of it all will work, but from what I’ve gathered, once he retires (today) and is sworn in Tuesday morning onto the council, the first position becomes City Councilor and then a consulting agreement will have to be signed as the second position with the school dept. The wording is a little wonky, as the document references both positions as “second position” at one point or another, which makes it confusing until explained. (Solicitor letter linked below)
https://www.lowellma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/26339?fileID=52957