(Updated- 3:26 p.m.) Four of the remaining five members of the Riverhead school board favor appointing people to fill the two seats left vacant by the resignations of Ann Cotten-DeGrasse and Amelia Lantz last month.
During a special board meeting this morning, Laurie Downs was alone in favoring a special election to fill the two spots.
One of the now-vacant terms expires June 30, 2018 and the other on June 30, 2019.
School Superintendent Nancy Carney today gave a brief presentation outlining the board’s options for filling the vacancies. Carney told the board it could appoint district residents to fill one or both vacant seats. The appointed members would serve until May 15, 2018, she said — the date of the next regular school district election.
At the May 15, 2018 election, voters would be asked to fill three seats. The top two vote-getters would win three-year terms. The third-place finisher would be elected to a one-year term expiring June 30, 2019.
Carney said holding a special election would cost $12,000 to $15,000. The earliest a special election could be held would be in mid-September, due to legal requirements for publication of a notice of election and the nominating petition process.
Downs said the cost could be reduced by having voting in only one location, at the high school, rather than at all elementary schools as has been the recent custom of the district.
“We are a democracy,” Downs said. “The people should decide.”
Christopher Dorr said he does not believe it’s fair to put the cost of a special election on the taxpayers.
Board president Greg Meyer said appointing new members to give the board a full slate a month earlier than holding a special election. “We heard from the community that they want quick action.
Susan Koukounas and Therese Zuhoski both said they opposed leaving the seats open until the next regular election and both favored making appointments rather than holding a special election.
Calverton resident Sal Mastropaolo and Barbara Kimmel of Jamesport urged the board to appoint Yolanda Thompson and Greg Fischer to the vacant seats. Thompson and Fischer placed fourth and fifth in a five-way race for three seats in May.
Fischer took the podium to advocate a special election. “It should be a public process,” he said.
Meyer called a vote on the issue and the board voted 4-1 to proceed with an appointment process.
People interested in being appointed to the board should submit to the board a letter of interest to the board in care of District Clerk Barbara O’Kula at 700 Osborn Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901, or by email no later than July 27.
The board will hold a special meeting to discuss the submissions and then make the appointments at its Aug. 15 meeting.
Rosemary Pearce of Aquebogue told the board they should be aware “of the high emotion attached to this issue” despite the empty auditorium at the high school this morning, where the special meeting was held. “As you can see many people were not able to attend because of the time of the meeting,” Pearce said. “Although the district faces challenges there are many positives about it as well. It behooves the board of education to get as many community members behind it and the incoming administration as possible,” she said, alluding to the transition that will take place next month when Carney retires and Dr. Aurelia Henriquez takes the helm.
Meyer said the board scheduled the meeting at 9 a.m. today because all board members had already scheduled a meeting with Henriquez at 10 a.m., so their schedules were already cleared during the hour leading up to it. With various activities and vacations already scheduled, the board would not have been able to schedule an evening meeting for a couple more weeks, he said. “That’s why we held it at this time.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with details about the letters of interest being solicited by the board of education to fill the two vacancies.
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