By SANDY McGEE

CUMBERLAND — School officials are examining the role of information technology (IT) director and creating a new “data manager” position less than three months since the arrest of Robert “Bob” Legacy.

Former IT director Legacy and his son, 20-year-old Kevin Legacy, were both arrested in April after an investigation into missing computers at the high school led police to question the Cranston residents.
Police believe that the younger Legacy allegedly stole the computers and gave them to his father to sell to school employees, who were unaware that the merchandise belonged to the school department.
Robert Legacy has been charged with embezzlement; receiving stolen goods, a felony; and one count of conspiracy, also a felony. His son, Kevin, has been charged with conspiracy and larceny, both felonies.
On Thursday, the School Committee is scheduled to discuss job descriptions and compensation for several technology positions, including IT director.
“We are reorganizing the entire department,” said Superintendent of Schools Donna Morelle. “For financial reasons, we haven't been able to staff a full department. My recommendation is for the committee to put a comprehensive technology department in place.”
Work to organize the new technology department began Tuesday evening, when the Personnel Sub-Committee discussed job descriptions for the following positions: director of information technology; network manager, which is currently held by Charles Michael Chandler Jr.; data manager, an
entirely new position; and computer technician.
“The School Committee asked me to bring forward some of the job descriptions to look into,” said the superintendent. “Those are the four job positions.”
On Thursday, members of the Finance Sub-Committee are scheduled to discuss and vote on “compensation” for the above-mentioned positions.
The sub-committee meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Room H-110 at Cumberland High School, 2600 Mendon Road.
Also on Thursday, the full School Committee is scheduled to discuss those four titles. The regular School Committee meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium.
Morelle is asking the School Committee to not only define the role of IT director, but to reinstate an old position - computer technician - and create a new position - data manager.
“We had a computer tech years ago, but were unable to fill it due to finances,” Morelle said. “The new job description is data manager … I suppose you could tie the vacancy and new position to Legacy's absence.”
The role of the data manager is unknown at this time.
At the time of his arrest, Legacy was suspended without pay from the school department.
Morelle said she could not comment on whether or not Legacy was still suspended without pay at this time.
Prior to his arrest, Legacy received an annual salary of $86,520. Salaries for the new and existing positions, including IT director, are unknown at this time.
School Committee member Brian Kelly said that the discussion is a chance to put “the checks and balances in place.”
“The job description is an opportunity to look at the whole area and make sure we have the controls in place,” Kelly said. “The inventory control is one. And, how you move assets.
“It's an internal control that is intended to maintain the integrity of how you control your assets.”
The IT director and network manager positions are budgeted, according to the superintendent.
Morelle will introduce a new “strategy,” she said, to fund portions of the other two positions. The strategy will be discussed at Thursday's School Committee meeting.