The Mansfield school superintendent submitted his resignation at a board of education meeting Tuesday night over controversy surrounding his travel expenditures, according to the chairman of the board.
Supt. Fred Baruzzi has been on leave since the allegations surfaced in July. His resignation is effective Jan. 23, according to Board of Education Chair Randy Walikonis.
Walikonis said over the summer that Baruzzi's contract allows him to travel out of the district for work, but his amount of travel was called into question.
In an email to parents Tuesday night, Walikonis said forensic auditors examined Baruzzi's travel expenses and "found no sufficient business justification for certain reimbursements requested by and paid to the Superintendent of Schools."
The audit team said they asked to speak with Baruzzi, but he declined under advice of counsel.
They found that Baruzzi was reimbursed $49,083.17 more than should have been allowed and he reimbursed $10,901.09, and he was reimbursed for 117,476 miles when he should have been reimbursed for 26,124 miles.
The board will hire an interim superintendent while officials search for a permanent replacement, according to Walikonis.
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Rachel Leclerc, director of Special Education and Support Services, has served as acting superintendent since the start of the investigation.
