The Newburgh Board of Education voted to approve a controversial measure on Wednesday that will give the school superintendent a $30,000 pay raise this year.

The vote that took less than 15 minutes after it was decided that this type of meeting didn't allow for public comment.

It has garnered a lot of criticism, as Newburgh is a low-income and largely minority-based school district.

Critics say paying the superintendent close to $300,000 a year just isn't something that the community can afford.

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Darren Stridiron is one of nine Newburgh Board of Education members set to vote tonight on the raise for Superintendent Dr. Roberto Padilla.

Stridiron spoke with News 12 ahead of the vote as a concerned citizen.

"We are a high poverty district. Our families make $30,000 a year, so for a raise of $30,000 - it's out of touch with the reality of our situation," he said.

Padilla made more than $252,000 last year, which is the third highest salary out of 17 districts in Orange County.

A district spokesperson tells News 12 that Padilla is underpaid, saying, "The adjustment brings the salary to the middle level of earnings for superintendents in the region, in comparison to size of the district and experience. Previously, the salary was one of the lowest."

Padilla was named Superintendent of the Year for a long list of district achievements by the State Council of Superintendents, an organization he also serves as budget committee chair.

But in 2019, District Attorney Dave Hoovler painted a much different picture of Padilla's leadership when it was found that the district the district faked attendance records for athletes and doctored grades for years in an investigation that's resulted in little to no consequence against Padilla or the district.

Board members were expected to vote in favor of the pay raise Wednesday night. They will first hear from the public.