Letter to the Editor:
I am Les Cohen and I am speaking tonight regarding the taxpayer-funded payout to Chief Administrative Officer Andy Cantwell. Based on our calculations of your publicly reported agreement, this figure is approximately $447,496,90, extraordinarily high and deeply concerning to this community.
Under California Education Code and established governance standards, this Board holds fiduciary responsibility for the financial stewardship of district resources. Board policy 3100 specifically requires the Board to ensure that district funds are managed responsibly and in the best interest of students.
The community deserves answers.
Why did this board move forward with allowing Mr. Cantwell’s contract to take effect on July 1 of 2025 despite numerous community members urging you-through public comment, emails and direct conversations-to pause that contract pending investigation? At the time, serious concerns existed regarding the Specialized Services contract, additional highly irregular contracts, the month’s long delay in forming the Bond Oversight Committee and illegal submission and approval of $40 million in voter approved bond funds, to name a few. Those concerns relate directly to Mr. Cantwell’s oversight.
Why was a promotion and raise granted before those matters were fully reviewed?
Given these performance failures and others detailed in the charges read to him at the December 2025 Board meeting, why didn’t Mr. Cantwell ever have an employee performance review documenting his mistakes? NOT doing even one review turned out to be very expensive and reflects a lack of oversight on YOUR part!
Why was Mr. Cantwell allowed to remain on paid administrative leave for six months while taxpayers continued to fund his salary? Delays in decision-making have financial consequences, and in this case those consequences were borne by the taxpayers and students of Burbank.
Reports also indicate a November settlement offer to Mr. Cantwell may have been rescinded. If that is accurate, that decision may have increased this payout by thousands of additional taxpayer dollars.
Let me repeat the final settlement offer, approximately $447, 496.90.
Nearly half a million dollars represents lost opportunities for students. It represents lost PE programs that could be preserved, custodians and campus safety staff who support safe schools. And teachers who directly impact classroom learning every day.
