Board of Education Chair Vote Deferred

Less than a year after being elected Board of Education Chairman, 7-year member Leslie Moriarty started the board's business meeting at North Street School with the election of its officers — Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary.

Before board members' names could be placed in nomination however, Peter von Braun made a motion to defer the election to the board's Nov. 27 budget meeting at Cos Cob School.

Prior to the vote on the motion was taken, Moriarty explained that in order to override the board's procedures it would require a 2/3 vote. When she called for the vote, it was 8-0 in favor of deferring the election to the 27th.

The Board of Education is a bipartisan board (4 Democrats and 4 Republicans) established pursuant to the authority of Sections 9-203 to 9 206a of the Connecticut General Statutes.

While each board member is elected to a four-year term, the officer positions are one-year terms. The election of the officer positions usually occur at a regular November Board of Education meeting.

Per Board ofEducation Policy G-002, the "Board shall elect officers within 30 days of an election or at its regular meeting in November, whichever is later."According to the policy, the election of officers "shall require a written record vote by a majority of the Board."

In accordance with state statutes, if the board has not elected a chairperson and secretary within one (1) month following board member elections because of a tie (4-4) vote, the Greenwich Board of Selectmen shall appoint a chairperson and secretary.

Last year on Dec. 1, Moriarty became the first Democrat in 30 years to be elected chair winning with a 5-3 vote over sitting Chairman Steve Anderson, A Republican who held the position for the two years. Moriarty won the majority vote when Republican board member Peter Sherr crossed party lines and supported her.

Prior to Anderson, the board chair was occupied by Republicans Nancy Weissler, Colleen Giambo, Sandy Waters, Genny Krob.