Education
School committee members said the city failed to pay vendor bills, something the mayor denies.
The Champions Dinner in 2022. Brockton Public Schools
Brockton Public Schools’ annual holiday event for homeless families will not take place this year because of the district’s recent financial turmoil, school leaders said.
Every year, hundreds of children receive dinner and Christmas gifts at Brockton’s “Champions Dinner,” held at Gillette Stadium last year, school committee member Ana Oliver said at their annual meeting. Tuesday evening. In 2022, the party welcomed nearly 300 children, according to the district.
Oliver said on Facebook that she “recently became aware” that some donors or vendors were not being paid by the city of Brockton.
“I know the situation we’re facing with payments, but I wish the suppliers would have contacted us, that we could have worked with them,” said Oliver, who attended last year. “Now we have a hundred students that would have been the only Christmas present they would have received, and it’s very sad to hear that.”
ComeBack Physical Therapy, Keches Law Group and MCJ Transportation were recent sponsors of the event in 2022, BPS said at the time. In 2023, Keches and MCJ returned as sponsors, according to the law firm.
“Did this tarnish (sic) our relationship with them? » Oliver said on Facebook before the meeting. “I am seeking clarification on this issue because it would be shameful if it were true, highlighting Brockton’s lack of concern for the well-being of its students. Why didn’t it happen this year?
This week, Brockton officials continued to point fingers following the announcement that the Dinner for Champions event would not take place. Tony Rodrigues, co-chair of the school committee, told Boston NBC Boston 10 that City Hall has not stepped in to pay vendors and sponsors.
“The money is there,” Rodrigues told NBC 10. “The school department is not the one writing the checks, the (purchase orders) come to the school district and are forwarded to the city hall, specifically to the department listeners, so they are the ones who actually cut the check.
Sullivan, who was arrested by NBC 10 while loading dozens of toy donations for Brockton children, said “I don’t believe that’s accurate” and that he is not involved in the dinner planning for champions. He said he “signed what was given to me” and referred further questions to the school district.
“Hopefully we can relaunch and do it again next year,” Sullivan said, according to NBC. “But there will be a lot of Brockton public school kids – and I’m the mayor of everyone, not just BPS kids, although I’m a proud graduate – we’ll have a lot of toys for people what we need this year.”
BPS and Sullivan did not respond to a request for comment Sunday evening.
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