Wall Board Ed. May Pick New Member on Feb. 18

The Wall Board of Education may select a new board member at its Feb. 18 meeting, said Board President Kenneth Dioguardi after the board's Thursday night meeting at the Intermediate School.

Originally, the board had considered choosing a new member at its Tuesday night meeting, but that was canceled due to inclement weather. They didn't want to pick a new member Thursday night, Dioguardi said, because Board Member Eric Brophy was absent.

"It wouldn't be fair to appoint a new board member with a board member missing," Dioguardi said. The Thursday night meeting was the rescheduled date, to make up for the Tuesday night cancellation, and by the time it was rescheduled, Brophy had another commitment and could not be at the board meeting, Dioguardi said.

"Our goal is to pick a new board member at the next meeting," he said. 

The five people who want the job are: Allison Field; Carmine Venezia; Kirk Evangeliou; Kerrin McGowan and Suresh Madhaven. Evangeliou and McGowan have served as appointed board members, but failed to win reelection when their appointed terms ended, Dioguardi said.

There is a vacancy because Denise Vodola decided she didn't want to be on the board shortly before she won a board seat in this past November election.

If Vodola had accepted the seat she was elected to, she would have been serving for one year, filling an unexpired term. That unexpired term exists because Joseph Tonzola resigned from his board seat with one year left in his term, Dioguardi said.

Initially, Raymond Bandlow had also shown interest. in the current vacancy However, at the Jan. 7 meeting, he withdrew his name from consideration, said Interim Schools Superintendent Stephanie Bilenker.

There have been numerous board vacancies and replacements, and a few administrative replacements, during the past two years, when the district also saw James F. Habel, former superintendent, and Sandra Brower, former assistant superintendent, brought up on charges that are still pending.

The most significant change in the composition of the board occurred when Eva Applegate, who served on the board for 27 years, decided not to run again after she finished her term which ended at the end of last year. 

"This is a very young board. Our most senior board members have two years experience," noted Board Vice President Robin Zawodniak after the meeting. 

"All the candidates interested now are all very good," Dioguardi said, adding he does not know who the board will select.