Questions raised about charter school chef’s salary

Questions are being raised about a $24,000 raise given to the executive chef at a southern New Jersey charter school who is also the live-in boyfriend of the school’s founder.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Michele Pastorello will make $95,000 this year for his work at the 1,000-student Camden LEAP Academy University Charter School.

The newspaper also notes the charter school awarded its food contract to a new vendor this year, and the company was required to retain Pastorello and two other food service employees, both hourly workers who received relatively small raises.

School spokesman Adam Dvorin said Pastorello and school founder Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, are in a “committed relationship.” He said Bonilla-Santiago recused herself from votes dealing with the contract.

Dvorin said neither Bonilla-Santiago nor Pastorello were available for interviews