Finance director on unpaid leave

WINSTED — Superintendent of Schools Blaise Salerno announced Monday night that he has placed the school district’s finance director on unpaid leave for the rest of the fiscal year.

Finance Director Ed Evanouskas still has his position but is furloughed until the end of this month, Salerno said. The superintendent said the decision was his own and that he had told Evanouskas earlier in the day.

Salerno said part of the reason for the decision came last week when Evanouskas was asked if he had forwarded school budget information to town Finance Director Henry Centrella. Evanouskas said he had e-mailed the information, but Centrella still did not have the information the following day. Salerno said Evanouskas also failed to provide documents for Monday night’s special “education summit� meeting at The Gilbert School. (See story above)

Salerno delivered a summary of the school’s financial situation on his own, noting that the school system’s projected overspend currently stands at $33,120, factoring in all required fund transfers.

From the town’s perspective, the deficit is $106,974, as the municipality has been directed by the state to transfer $73,854 to the school system to make up for a transportation funding shortage. Town Manager Wayne Dove has said the town has saved enough money to cover the transfer, but will have difficulty finding the final $33,120 to balance the books.

Salerno said Evanouskas’ unpaid furlough will save the district approximately $3,000. Evanouskas is expected to return to work July 1.

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