Alfie Oakes seeks to block Collier school superintendent contract.

Francis “Alfie” Oaks, a prominent conservative political figure and businessman, requested a temporary restraining order to stop the Collier County School Board from hiring Dr. Leslie C. Ricciardelli as the next superintendent.

Last  Wednesday, Oakes filed the lawsuit in Collier County Circuit Court. A hearing date has not been scheduled.After a lengthy search, the Collier County School Board named Ricciardelli as superintendent on the evening of May 3.Oakes raised a number of accusations against the board and the hiring procedure in the order, including claims of Sunshine Law violations that, according to the restraining order, “caused irreparable injury to the public at large, including the plaintiff (Oakes).” Additionally, Oakes’ lawsuit asserts that the school board erroneously granted authority to a different organization, the Schaumberg, Illinois-based education consulting business Hazard Young Attea & Associates, prohibiting the public from seeing the selection procedure in full.

The 60-page injunction decision from The Oakes includes several activities by Ricciardelli that it alleges are contrary to the “desired characteristics” the board is looking for in a superintendent candidate, including financial acumen. A home foreclosure and a violation of the Collier County Land Development Code were two of the stated actions.

The injunction aims to completely invalidate Ricciardelli’s selection and block any contract negotiations with her.

Collier County Schools’ Jennifer Kupiec declined to comment beyond saying that “the district — including the superintendent — does not comment on pending litigation.”

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