Republican Town Chair Mike Garrett is searching for candidates to run for Board of Education seats currently held by Joe Larcheveque, the chair, and Annette Segarra-Negron, both of whom are not seeking reelection in November, according to Garrett.
The seats of Democrats Howard Gardner and Rafael Fonseca, as well as Sauda Baraka, elected on the Working Families Party line in 2009 and 2013, are also up this year. Gardner and Baraka don’t sound like reelection candidates. Fonseca is running.
Another wrinkle could be added on the GOP side involving John Weldon who was appointed to the Board of Education by Mayor Joe Ganim to fill the vacancy of Republican Kevin McSpirit last November after the school board failed to fill the position within 30 days. McSpirit was elected to a four-year term in 2015.
The City Attorney’s Office cited this statute:
Sec. 7-107. Vacancy appointments by selectmen. Except as otherwise provided by law, if any vacancy occurs on any town board or commission, and such board or commission has power by law to fill such vacancy but fails to do so within thirty days after it occurs, the board of selectmen or chief executive authority of such town may appoint a qualified person to fill such vacancy until the next municipal election.
Based on the statute, this cycle is “the next municipal election.” OIB has asked the City’s Attorney’s Office for a clarification on this question. Does the passage, “except as otherwise provided by law” default to the City Charter?
Prior to appointing Weldon, Ganim also appointed Fonseca and Segarra-Negron after the board failed to act due to infighting.
School board member Maria Pereira, represented by attorney Kevin Smith, claimed Ganim violated the City Charter and had no legal grounds to cite state statute to fill vacancies. Associate City Attorney Bruce Levin argued before the court that the plaintiff’s position is “absurd” asserting the board has been operating under “deadlock and dysfunction.”
Levin said state law addresses the logjam of filling vacancies and Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis agreed with him ruling last October that Ganim “properly exercised his authority” to fill vacancies after the board failed to act within 30 days.
So, the question remains, are five school board seats up this November or six based on the Weldon mayoral appointment? Historically, school board elections are staggered, five seats one cycle, four the next.
The nine-member school board operates under state-mandated minority party representation which sets aside three seats outside of the major party. The current configuration is five Democrats, three Republicans and one Working Families.
Party endorsements will take place later this month with expected September Democratic primaries for school board, City Council and city sheriff positions.
*** The Bpt. B.O.E is also a Thankless job like being city Mayor. You got to be a bit Krazy and also a dreamer at the same time! ***
The mayor’s job may be thankless, but it comes with a large check, perks and benefits.
Well, let’s see how many Democrats will changed to become Republicans to run for the BOE or who have already changed to be Republican.
http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bullet-grazes-Bridgeport-teen-s-head-while-she-11267743.php
Frankly,I think that that this is very very interesting.
I was told Dave Hennesey switched back to a Democrat when they looked at CT VAN. Hmmm…
I was hoping to use these great graphics a friend created for me showing Danny Roach pulling Joe Larcheveque’ puppet strings. Ganim and Testo were peeking over Roach’s should looking down at Larcheveque grinning. Larcheveque was wearing a t-shirt that said RINO with a picture of a rhino with Republican in Name Only spelled out.
It was really good. Oh,well.
I had a former board member I really respect ask me to give Annette a chance, so I did. She had difficulty chairing her committee and knew nothing about policy.
I really did try to help her.
In the end, she just did as told.
I have been pulling the attendance record of Rafael, Larcheveque, Negron, Weldon, etc. because their attendance records are abysmal except for Larcheveque.
So sad
Maria does rightfully indicate a marker for grading a candidate for re-election. As we tell youth regarding athletic, musical, or academic activity, 95% of success in these life endeavors can be predicted by SHOWING UP (attendance), ON TIME (at the appointed hour, regularly to indicate respect for time and fellow members) and DRESSED TO PLAY (got your football cleats, your clarinet, studied the lesson for the day and thought through the issues facing your group). The other five percent can be left to luck, karma or whatever. But being an adult responsible for adult activities makes you an automatic model for behavior. What will folks copy that serves the community best? If you don’t know, will you ask? If your mentor does not assist, do you find an alternative mentor? Time will tell.
I guess JML never played football!!!
NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT
Ed Board Leader Daisy Gonzalez Dies
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/ed_board_president_daisy_gonzalez_dies/