With Greenwich Board of Education chair Karen Kowalski’s resignation late Friday afternoon, questions abound as to how the leadership void will be filled.
Kowalski was elected to her second four-year term in Nov 2023. Her term wasn’t due to expire until 2027.
Karen Kowalski, Sophie Koven and Karen Hirsh at a LWV Greenwich debate leading up to the Nov 2023 municipal election. Photo: Leslie Yager
The public school community is speculating who might fill her shoes and who gets to pick? Also, who will be the next chair and when will that vote take place?
Kowalski, who cited a move out of town in her resignation, was one of four Republicans on the 8-member board.
While it is down to the remaining 7 board members – 4 Democrats and 3 Republicans – to select her replacement, per the town charter, it must be filled with a member of the same party.
Board of Education policy 9221 on filling vacancies states, “Any vacancy occurring on the Board, unless otherwise provided by charter or special act, shall be filled by a vote of the remaining members of the Board, as soon as feasible, until the next regular Town election.”
Additionally, CT State Statute 10-219 spells out how that vacancy should be filled by the Board until the next municipal election, which is in November 2025. It also includes information as to how that successor is elected for the remaining portion of the unexpired term.
In 2025, the party, in this case the Republican Town Committee, would be able to nominate three individuals to sit on the Board of Education, noting on the ballot which of the three candidates were running for four-year terms, and which candidate was running for a two-year term.
What’s next?
The 7 current BOE members will interview candidates to replace Kowalski’s open Republican seat and vote on a candidate.
Per board policy, “The Board is permitted to interview the candidate(s) for a vacancy and the subsequent deliberations by the Board, subject to the right of a candidate to insist that the portions of the interviews and discussions dealing with his/her candidacy be in public.”
Also, per the BOE policy, the vote by the Board must take place in public.
This is not the first time the Board will fill a vacancy.
In 2021, the Board selected Democrat Gaetane Francis to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Megan Olsson who moved out of town. Dr. Francis’ return to the board was smooth, given she had previously been a member.
But Ms Olsson was not chair when she resigned.
When Will the Board Vote on a New Chair?
BOE policy does give the vice chair the ability to act in the absence of a chair. And certainly, vice chair Hirsh has chaired meetings when Ms Kowalski was absent.
While the board could elect new officers without the full board in place, given that board policy is to fill the vacancy as soon as feasible, the policy suggests that filling the vacancy is prioritized.
Democrats are likely anticipating a vote on their next chair and who they would prefer in that role.
No one can forget the number of tie votes for chair that fell along party lines in recent years.
For a nominee to become chair requires 5 out of 8 votes.
If the BOE fails to elect a chair with at least five votes out of 8, there is a statute that kicks the decision over to the Board of Selectmen, which has had a Republican majority for many years.
That is how Ms Kowalski became chair in January this year.
The first time in recent memory that this scenario played out was in 2016, when after repeated tie votes on the BOE the Selectmen voted for Republican Peter Sherr for BOE chair.
In 2022, after not one tie vote but two tie votes between Joe Kelly (R) and Christina Downey (D), the specter of the Selectmen again determining the chair had an impact.
Given First Selectman Fred Camillo had said publicly he would pick Mr. Kelly the writing was on the wall.
During a third vote, outgoing BOE chair Democrat Kathleen Stowe, who had previously nominated Ms Downey, instead nominated Mr. Kelly.
The vote was 7-0 with one abstention: Ms Kowalski.
Now, while Democrats have the upper hand, given their majority on the board without Kowalski, the chairmanship might factor into their calculations.
In a statement, Republican BOE member Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony said a number of local Republicans with vested interest in the schools had already expressed interest in the position.
“We set some ambitious board goals in June while also in year 3 of our strategic plan. I’m looking forward to a quick but productive process next month so that we can hit the ground running with a full board in September.”
Karen Hirsh, who is currently the board’s vice chair and elected to her second 4-year term in 2023, provided a statement:
“The Board would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Karen Kowalski, for her dedicated service. Karen and I have worked together on the Board for the past five years and while we may not have always voted the same way, we shared a similar focus on many important issues and always found common ground. Our good and respectful working relationship has been invaluable.
“The Board remains focused on improving student outcomes and ensuring that our students and our schools are the best that they can be. We wish Ms Kowalski the best in her future endeavors and look forward to hearing from interested candidates.”
Neither Dr. Mercanti-Anthony nor Ms Hirsh mentioned the chairmanship.
Stay tuned.
Update: The article was updated to reflect that in 2021, the Board selected Democrat Gaetane Francis to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Megan Olsson who moved out of town.
See also:
Greenwich Board of Education Chair Resigns Citing Out-of-Town Move