BRISTOL — Addison Northeast Supervisory Union recently hired seasoned school finance veteran Edward Gomeau to take over as its business manager. In July, Gomeau will take over an operation that has been plagued with deficits over the past two years.
Presently in his fourth year as director of finance and operations for New Haven Public Schools in Connecticut, the new business manager touts a hefty history in the field of fiscal management.
His résumé includes seven years in Greenwich, Conn., as town administrator and chief financial officer, seven years as the director of finance for Stratford, Conn., and 18 years as town administrator and CFO for Weston, Conn.
Gomeau will join ANeSU as it grapples to reign in a $326,489 deficit for Mount Abraham Union High School, a $220,321 deficit for Lincoln Community School and a $110,438 deficit for Robinson Elementary School.
ANeSU has also dealt with the January resignation of business manager Greg Burdick. Superintendent Evelyn Howard and her administrative team struck out in March to find a new business manager to help reduce future deficits.
Burdick, who initially planned to stay on board until June 30, left early for medical reasons. Since March 28, previous ANESU business manager Susan Jefferies has taken over as interim business manager, a position that she will hold until Gomeau grabs the reigns at the beginning of July, which marks the start of the new fiscal year.
ANeSU has high hopes for Gomeau.
 “He’s had extensive municipal and school district finance experience in Connecticut, his recommendations were exceptional, and the documentation was impressive, including public acknowledgment of his accomplishments,” said Howard.
The superintendent also said that she is confident that Gomeau will “make the most of the opportunities out there to prepare our kids for the 21st century.”
Gomeau, whose brother in-law is Martin Clark of Martin’s Hardware in Bristol, told the Independent that his family heads up to the five-town region half-a-dozen times a year. He views the position as a chance to be closer to family and be part of what he sees as a supportive and vibrant community.
“The right kind of job presented itself at the right time,” remarked Gomeau, who said that his goal will be to “minimize costs and get as much out of resources as I can.”
Gomeau plans to collaborate with the community and keep the supervisory union’s numbers legible and transparent.
“What I do best is work very well with the public, and I’m a good listener,” he said.
What will he do first?
“I’ll take a period of time to see what resources are there and how things work,” he said. “I’m not the kind of person that comes in and feels that I have to change everything.”
Reporter Andrew Stein is at [email protected]