If you're at all on the up and up on goings on in the city, you've probably heard that Salem Public Schools has reached a settlement for alleged violations having to do with public construction bids.

A press release from Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office last week indicated that "beginning no later than October 2006 and continuing through December 2010, the Building Services Department of the Salem Public Schools engaged in practices that violated the public construction bidding laws for various construction and maintenance services."

"This matter came to the attention of the AG’s Office through a former employee of the Salem Public Schools in the spring of 2011," according to the release.

The Attorney General stated issues included failure to put out formal bids from projects along with other problematic practices.

Read the whole press release here.

On Monday the Salem News reported Timothy Sheehan, the former school business administrator said the issues were known as early as 2009.

The outlet also reported Mayor Kim Driscoll said efforts have been made to rectify any issues regarding bidding as they come about.

What do you think of the issue? Do you have any thoughts? Tell us in the comments.

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