An arbitrator has issued a decision in the dispute between the Mount Vernon City School District and former superintendent Dr. Waveline Bennett Conroy, the district’s in-house counsel said at the board’s June 3 meeting.

Royce Russell, the district’s in-house counsel, told the board and public that the matter had been the subject of a public court filing and local news coverage and that an independent audit and arbitration followed. “The arbitrator has issued a decision in the matter of Mount Vernon City School District versus Dr. Waveline Bennett Conroy,” Russell said.

The case, Russell said, involved allegations that included “misrepresentations made to both the board and the public” and concerns about a vendor for which the district could not substantiate that all required services were provided. He said the vendor had “received millions of dollars from the district.” Russell praised the trustees’ handling of the matter: the board “upheld their fiduciary duty and remain[ed] faithful to the oath to serve the district and its community with integrity,” he said.

Russell added the audit and subsequent arbitration arose after several trustees sought accountability and that the district is “committed to restoring trust and ensuring sound governance,” and that “the hearing is now over and concluded.” The announcement did not include text of the arbitrator’s decision or further procedural next steps.

Separately during the meeting the board approved a motion described as the “adoption of the findings and recommendations from the hearing officer.” The motion was seconded and approved; the record shows at least one abstention. The board then moved into executive session later in the agenda to discuss pending litigation and related personnel and legal matters.

The district did not release the arbitrator’s written decision at the meeting. Russell did not read the document into the record, and board members did not state any immediate follow-up actions beyond the prior audit and arbitration process. Members of the public and commenters at the meeting raised concerns about transparency and asked for continued oversight.

The district provided no additional documentation of the arbitrator’s ruling at the meeting; the board packet did not include the award text as read aloud. Members of the public and trustees may request the written decision or related filings through the district clerk or via the public court record if and when those documents are filed.

The district’s announcement came amid a broader review that included an independent audit and arbitration that the board said followed concerns from trustees and community members.