NORWICH – After standing vacant for more than two and a half months, the seventh seat on the Norwich City School board of education has been filled.
Norwich resident Perry Owen was appointed to fill the vacancy during a special meeting of the school board Thursday night in what was the board’s last opportunity to fill the vacancy themselves before BOCES District Superintendent Alan Pole intervened.
“My understanding of the law is that the vacancy has to be filled within 90 days from the effective date of the resignation,” said Pole. The district superintendent, who oversees the 16 schools within the DCMO BOCES supervisory area, stated he had encouraged the board on several occasions to fill the vacancy on their own.
In a letter dated July 30, Pole asked the board of education to answer several questions. The special meeting was called to give the board the opportunity to address these concerns.
The board had a total of three options available to fill the seat. They could appoint someone to fill the position or hold a special election. Failing those two, the final option was to have the seat filled by an appointment made by Pole.
The board had tried, and failed, on several occasions to fill the seat by appointment. Although a number of candidates stepped forward to fill the opening created by the resignation of board member Bill Winans, the board had been unable to reach a decision by majority vote.
The board has been similarly divided over the idea of holding a special election. This is no longer an option, said Pole, because the board has missed the 45 day notice requirement.
With Winans’ effective date of resignation confirmed by Margaret Boice as June 6, the special election would have needed to be held no later than Sept. 6. According to Pole’s calculations, the notice of that election would have been required by July 20 at the latest.
With time running out for the Norwich board to fill the vacancy on their own, Pole turned the discussion back to the board. “Let me give you one more chance,” said Pole.
With a list of six names in front of them, three of which ran in the last election and three which had expressed an interest since, the board went to work.
