Sachem School Board Fills Vacancy Left By Resignation

FARMINGVILLE, NY — The Sachem School District Board of Education on Wednesday filled a trustee vacancy left by the resignation of James Mancaruso with outgoing board member Laura Slattery.

Mancaruso stepped down last week after allegedly yelling at a student in the auditorium of Sachem East High School. His term was set to end in July 2023 and would have been up for reelection in May of that year.

Slattery, who did not seek reelection in May, was appointed to fill Mancaruso’s seat, so that the board could avoid holding a special election. Slattery’s resignation from her old post, which was to expire in July, was accepted by the board almost immediately following her appointment, and she was sworn in.

Slattery’s assuming Mancaruso’s seat will allow her to run with other candidates in May 2022 in an at-large election in which four seats will be put up for a vote.

Mancaruso’s resignation faced the board with two decisions, either call a special election or make an appointment to fill the vacancy.

School district attorney Christopher Clayton explained that the “legal gymnastics” allowed Slattery to step down from her current expiring post to take up the appointed position because she could not hold two positions on the board at once.

The appointment was not without some discussion though.

School Board President Alex Piccirillo said he opposed the appointment because he believes there should be community input. He said it was not personal, noting he opposed a similar motion to appoint outgoing Trustee Meredith Volpe, who lost her bid for reelection in May.

“I think that the public voted and the public puts us in these seats, and this is circumventing that process,” he said.

Trustee Jim Kiernan chided Piccirillo for not wanting a special election at the board’s meeting one week before, but the board president noted he suggested a survey seeking input from the community on whether the funds for the special election might be better spent on other items like Chromebooks.

He put the matter forward again, but the motion was unsuccessful a second time.

In a separate matter, Volpe, whose term expires in July, made an emotional last address to the Sachem community.

“This was an exceptional three years, and I appreciate you allowing me to be a part of it,” she said.