Ward Seven School Committee Vacancy

At a glance

What: The Ward 7 seat on the Board of School Committee is vacant after Potter resigned. Terrio nominated Tremblay; Trisciani nominated Spencer.
Where it stands: On October 6 a roll call chose Spencer as the nominee, 7 to 5 with one abstention. Under Rule 23 the nomination lies over to the next meeting for a confirmation vote.
Next: Confirmation vote at the October 20 Board meeting. The Board fills the vacancy until the next election.

The Board accepted Potter's resignation "with regret" (motion Trisciani, second Terrio). Under the charter the Board of Aldermen fills a School Committee vacancy until the next election (read into the record by City Clerk Normand).
Nominations: Terrio nominated Tremblay; Trisciani nominated Spencer. Nominations closed on motion of Terrio, seconded by Sapienza.
Roll call to choose the nominee: for Spencer: Kaw-uh, Goonan, Dexter, Fajardo, Trisciani, Burkush, Barry. For Tremblay: Kantor, Terrio, Sapienza, Vincent, Thomas. O'Neil abstained. Bonilla was absent.
Kaw-uh raised a point of order that Rule 11 requires an abstaining member to explain the conflict; O'Neil said only that the vote would not go to either individual.
Kantor told the Mayor a veto was available. Mayor Ruais said the charter gives the decision to the Board and that for roughly 50 years a mayor has not vetoed or intervened in such a selection.
Terrio said the practice has been not to interfere with another alderman's School Committee nominee, warned that using "raw power" would be regretted by whoever is in the minority, and said a member had urged a prospective nominee to drop out. Barry replied that School Committee vacancies have been filled by at-large and cross-ward nominations before, citing a 2015 Ward 6 vacancy, and called it not a partisan issue.

Tremblay: lifelong resident, parent of five Manchester graduates or students, works in live event production and budgets; invited aldermen to contact him.
Spillers and Potter urged support for Spencer, noting Ward 7 voters elected Potter and he picked Spencer, a high school teacher. Potter also praised the strategic plan results (proficiency up, clean audit) and criticized state diversion of money to private schools, saying public education should be defended.
Tassey supported Terrio's nomination, arguing the School Committee lacks political diversity.
Girard said overriding a ward alderman's qualified nominee is without precedent and "mob rule."
Blais spoke on school administration costs (see Wilson School Property Sale for other comments).

Potter's resignation accepted. Roll call 7 to 5 (one abstention, one absent) chose Spencer over Tremblay; nomination laid over to the next meeting.