NORWICH – The four remaining members of the Norwich City School District Board of Education voted to accept one resignation and table two others, including that of the NCSD board president, which were unexpectedly put forward during Thursday night’s board meeting.

Earlier this month, board member Joseph McBride tendered a letter of resignation citing matters that required his attention away from the school board. His resignation comes after nearly two years of service.

Although McBride’s official resignation was no surprise to board members (acceptance of his resignation was on the agenda), the subsequent resignation of board Vice President Linda Horovitz and Board President Heather Fredenburg were, leaving remaining members Thomas Morrone, Luke Murphy, Perry Owen and Joseph Stagliano to regroup.

Horovitz announced her resignation first, incentivized to do so by what she said was a violation of open meeting rules and procedures during February’s school board meeting. During the February meeting, board members entered executive session which subsequently led to the contract renewal of school Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan - an action item that should have been on the agenda, she said. She also claimed that because Fredenburg was not present during February’s meeting, action should not have been taken as per school board governance laws.

“When I left the board meeting, I was not happy,” she said, adding that she was not adequately informed that the board would be voting on the contract and felt pressured to do so. She said she spoke with school attorney John P. Lynch, who advised her that the vote indeed was in violation of open government and public meeting regulations.

“I had some sleepless nights because of what happened,” she told board members. “I think there are a lot of meetings that take place between the superintendent and (individual) board members ... I don’t think it’s appropriate.”

Horovitz also went on to say she felt teachers and administration have been ignored by the board in recent months and that she, at times, has “felt bullied” by other board members. “We have awesome kids, awesome teachers, awesome administrators,” she said, “but we have issues and they are issues that need to be addressed.”