Amid Controversy, Greenwich School Board Elects Officers
GREENWICH, CT — Despite the controversy surrounding the Greenwich Board of Education these days, the school board on Thursday night went ahead with its election of officers for the 2024-2025 term.
Democrat Karen Hirsh was tapped as chair of the board, Republican Jen Behette was chosen as the vice chair, and Democrat Laura Kostin was voted in as secretary.
There was a vacancy on the eight-member school board (four Republicans, four Democrats) for several months since Republican Chair Karen Kowalski resigned in July.
Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The BOE was slated to hold a vote to appoint a replacement on Oct. 17, but a board member had to leave abruptly so the vote was pushed to Oct. 23, ahead of a vote on the FY 26 capital budget the following day.
An emergency school board meeting was called for the morning of Monday, Oct. 20 after the Board of Selectmen scheduled a special meeting on Oct. 21 to discuss and vote on filling the vacancy themselves.
Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
During the emergency meeting, the school board voted 4-1 to appoint Behette, a former educator.
At the time, Republican school board member Michael-Joseoh Mercanti-Anthony objected to Behette, saying Behette was the one candidate his fellow Republicans didn’t want to work with.
The Board of Selectmen during their special meeting voted two in favor with one abstention (Democrat Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan) to appoint Republican Paul Cappiali, the town’s harbormaster.
First Selectman Fred Camillo has said that the BOE’s emergency meeting was illegal, and he has argued that it did not constitute an emergency and was not noticed within 24 hours. Therefore, he has said the vote to appoint Behette was invalid. Camillo also said the appointment of Behette was an attempt to gain a Democratic chairmanship.
BOE Democrats said in a joint statement last month that Camillo’s “attempt at a blatant power grab ignores the legal autonomy of the Board of Education,” an entity of the state.
The school board has since hired outside counsel.
Late last month, the Board of Selectmen voted 2-1 to file a complaint with the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission challenging the legality of the school board’s emergency meeting on Oct. 21 and a subsequent special meeting on Oct. 23.
On Thursday, all four Democrats voted for Hirsh to become chair, while three Republicans voted for Mercanti-Anthony. Behette abstained.
“I just wanted the records, the minutes, to reflect the ongoing disagreement among the members,” Mercanti-Anthony said before the chair vote.
Hirsh said she could schedule an executive session and have counsel there for a discussion.
“Since this is an ongoing legal matter, these are not things we typically discuss in a public forum,” Hirsh said.
Cappiali was in attendance and sitting next to Republican member Wendy Vizzo Walsh for Thursday’s regularly scheduled and virtual Board of Education meeting.
“For the record, I voted for Mr. Mercanti,” Cappiali said after the chair vote.
“You are not a recognized member of the board of education. You are welcome to log on as an attendee,” Hirsh said.
Cappiali responded by saying Hirsh does not speak for the entire board, to which Kostin replied, “The chair does speak for the board of education. The chair is the voice of the board.”
Hirsh then nominated Mercanti-Anthony for vice chair but he declined.
“Karen, I appreciate that, I really do. But I fear I must decline because I’m not convinced that the previous vote was in legal order,” Mercanti-Anthony said of the chairmanship.
Stowe then nominated Behette, and she received all Democrat votes plus her own vote. Mercanti-Anthony, Kittle and Walsh abstained.
Kittle nominated Walsh for secretary, who was serving in that role before Thursday night’s vote, but she, too, declined.
“I don’t think this is in legal order. Thank you so much, Cody, but I think I’m going to decline your very generous nomination,” she said.
Kostin was nominated and received three democratic votes plus her own vote. All four Board Republicans abstained.
Following the meeting, Hirsh issued a news release announcing the officer picks, and she noted that the chair does not have a tiebreaking vote.
She also mentioned the emergency meeting from Oct. 20.
“We are aware that the Board of Selectmen has challenged that meeting and understand that a complaint has been forwarded to the CT Freedom of Information Commission,” Hirsh said.
“This Board debating the merits of any pending claim is pointless and wastes time that could be better spent on the important issues that directly impact the children and educators in our schools. As such, it is my intent as Board Chair, to focus our time and energy on the needs of our students and staff and work for the betterment of the Greenwich Public Schools.”
You can view Thursday’s Greenwich Board of Education meeting in full here.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
Click Here: nrl jerseys