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Tracey Collins, Mayor Eric Adams’ romantic accomplice, has quietly retired from a senior place on the Schooling Division amid allegations that she didn’t present as much as work and did not disclose luxurious journey advantages.
Collins — who obtained a big promotion and a roughly $50,000 increase after Adams took workplace in 2022 — wrapped up her final day of labor on Nov. 1, a division spokesperson confirmed.
Her retirement comes after a former division worker tipped off metropolis investigators that Collins “has had a no present job,” in line with a grievance obtained by Chalkbeat and first reported by the New York Submit. The previous worker, who requested anonymity, stated Collins had not appeared at work since final Thanksgiving.
A spokesperson for the Particular Commissioner of Investigation confirmed they obtained the grievance and are “wanting into the matter.” The town’s Division of Investigation can also be reviewing the allegations, in line with the Each day Information, which first reported Collins’ retirement. A DOI spokesperson declined to remark.
Some proof appears to again issues about Collins’ absence. Within the eight months after being promoted as a senior advisor within the Division of Faculty Management, about three-quarters of the times on her work calendar had been empty, in line with information first revealed by Chalkbeat.
Her calendar confirmed about 40 scheduled conferences and occasions, together with “scorching warmth” classes to overview superintendent efficiency, a one-on-one sitdown with a faculty meals chief, and conferences with officers managing the inflow of migrant college students.
Officers on the Schooling Division’s public information workplace stated this week they may not present newer variations of Collins’ day by day schedule till February, regardless of initially indicating the information can be supplied Nov. 5. (The division usually ignores its personal deadlines for responding to public information requests.)
Collins couldn’t be reached for remark. Schooling Division spokesperson Nathaniel Styer didn’t say why she retired.
“Ms. Collins served public faculty college students for over 30 years as a trainer, principal, and administrator, and we want her one of the best in her retirement,” Styer wrote in an e-mail. He famous that her duties included “strategic planning, making suggestions on company priorities, and offering recommendation and help to senior management.”
Collins was thrust into the highlight by the mayor’s federal indictment final month. She allegedly benefitted from tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in journey perks from Turkish officers who sought to affect Adams, in line with the indictment. These advantages weren’t listed on Collins’ monetary disclosure varieties as required, Politico first reported. Adams additionally omitted them.
Collins has not been charged with any crimes linked to that investigation. A spokesperson for the town’s Conflicts of Curiosity Board stated they may not verify whether or not the company is wanting into the matter.
Questions on Collins’ function on the Schooling Division started swirling quickly after she landed a promotion in 2022, the place she earned about $221,000 as a senior advisor.
Together with different non-union Schooling Division officers, Collins lately obtained a pay bump, bringing her wage to almost $253,000, information present.
Collins moved this summer season from the Division of Faculty Management to be a senior advisor for the deputy chancellor of household and group engagement — a task occupied on the time by Melissa Aviles-Ramos. Aviles-Ramos was appointed faculties chancellor final month after David Banks abruptly stepped down underneath stress from the mayor. (Banks’ digital gadgets had been seized in September by federal investigators, although he has not been accused of wrongdoing.)
Collins isn’t the one Schooling Division official associated to Adams. The mayor’s sister-in-law additionally obtained a job within the faculty system, incomes a big pay bump. Nonetheless, Adams has rejected any suggestion that his relationship with Collins helped her win a promotion and has defended her work ethic.
“There was a job emptiness. She filed for it. Being the numerous different of the mayor shouldn’t cease your monitor,” he beforehand instructed reporters. “Tracey does her job and he or she does it effectively.”
Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, masking NYC public faculties. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.
