Hundreds of residents packed the Stevens High School auditorium Wednesday night to hear how the school board plans to navigate a multi-million-dollar budget crisis that could shut down schools for the foreseeable future.

Notably absent from the meeting were Superintendent Chris Pratt and Business Administrator Mary Henry. When pressed by members of the public about their absence, board attorney James O’Shaughnessey said he was legally limited in what he could disclose.

“The superintendent is not here tonight at the request of the board,” O’Shaughnessey said.

As for Henry—whose tenure coincides with the start of a deficit that could reach $5 million or more—O’Shaughnessey confirmed she is no longer managing the district’s finances.

“The business administrator is not in charge of Claremo

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