State prepared to pay education consultant $100K

HARTFORD, Conn. – The state agreed to pay a New York consulting firm $100,000 to settle a claim for a contract some thought had expired.

Leeds Global Partners, the New York firm that helped reorganize the Education Department “and create policies and procedures that promote student achievement in Connecticut” sued the state Education Department for paying only part of the $200,000 it was owed for work it did past the due date of the original contract. The consulting company’s co-founder Jonathan Gyurko was instrumental in negotiating the 2012 education reform package on behalf of Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration.

When the contract expired in March 2012, the lawsuit claims Gyurko was given assurances by Education Department staff that if he continued to work he would be paid for his services—an additional three months past the end date.

“The Department of Education, including the Commissioner Stefan Pryor, CFO Brian Mahoney, and Project Manager Emily Byrne repeatedly told representatives of Leeds Global Partners, LLC that it was authorized to makes its agreement with Leeds Global Partners, LLC and this it had both the authority and ability to pay for Leeds Global Partners, LLC’s continued services,” according to the complaint. “These assurances were unequivocal.”

See the complete story at CT News Junkie.