UPDATE With Republican school board member Paul Block’s resignation this week, the Democratic majority Westport Board of Education has begun working with the Republican Town Committee (RTC) to the fill the vacancy, board members announced tonight.
Paul Block: elected in November. Contributed photo
Jeannie Smith, school board vice chairwoman and a Republican, will lead the effort to find a replacement, said Michael Gordon, school board chairman and a Democrat.
Block, who was reelected to a four-year term in November, stepped down since he recently took a CEO position at a new company, and its demands would interfere with his role on the board, said Gordon.
The new appointment’s term will run through November 2019, “almost a four-year term,” said Gordon.
The deadline for submitting an application is Jan. 22 at 5 p.m.
The school board hopes to have a new member on board by its Monday, Feb. 8 meeting.
In a news release, the RTC said it is accepting applications for those interested in filling the vacancy.
The Westport RTC’s Board Education Vacancy Committee will interview qualified candidates and make a recommendation to the Board of Education, it said.
Registered Westport Republicans who are interested in being considered for the vacancy should contact Joseph Sledge, chairman of the Westport RTC’s Board of Education Vacancy Committee, at (917)597-0311 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and provide a letter of interest and a professional resume no later than noon on Jan. 22, the RTC said.
Candidates will be given a detailed questionnaire and should be prepared to discuss their skills and qualifications with the RTC’s Board of Education Vacancy Committee in an interview, it said.
Interviews will be scheduled the week of Jan. 23.
—James Lomuscio
