- December 25, 2024
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Nearly two years ago, two Flagler County School Board members voted to replace Attorney Kristy Gavin. Now, two new board members want to explore options for terminating her contract.
The board voted 4-0 on Sept. 19 to seek an outside counsel’s guidance on what options it has concerning Gavin’s contract. Colleen Conklin was absent from the meeting.
Board member Will Furry was tasked with finding an employment attorney to answer board members’ questions.
Christy Chong and Sally Hunt both indicated they would like to discuss the possibility of terminating Gavin’s contract.
“The relationship with our attorney and myself has been fractured,” Chong said, adding, “Do we want to continue this contract?”
Furry asked board members what areas of the contract they would want the outside attorney to look at.
“My focus is on the termination of the contract,” Hunt responded.
The three other board members, including Chair Cheryl Massaro, asked Furry to recommend an employment attorney at the Oct. 3 workshop with the board approving the choice at its next business meeting on Oct. 17.
Gavin, who was clearly upset by the direction of the discussion, asked if the board wanted her to continue with her duties.
“The question I ask of you is are you comfortable that I continue to perform legal services at this time while this is going on?” Gavin asked.
“I am,” Massaro answered.
Furry said, “Outside of a resignation, we expect you to.”
Gavin responded that she is “here to serve the board.”
Gavin has served the board for the past 17 years. When her contract was up for renewal in December 2021, former board members Jill Woolbright and Janet McDonald voted not to renew, while Conklin, Massaro and Trevor Tucker voted in favor of renewing Gavin’s contract for three more years.
Hunt, Furry and Chong joined the board in November 2022. In April, the three new board members voted not to renew Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt’s contract.
Gavin, under the board’s direction, is currently in the process of drawing up a superintendent’s contract for LaShakia Moore, who has been the interim superintendent since June 30.
