Wanted: One North Merrick School Board trustee

The North Merrick Board of Education is accepting applications from members of the public to fill a vacant board seat that has been open since May.

The decision to accept applications came on Aug. 14, after three consecutive meetings ended with the board deadlocked on what to do about the empty seat. Trustees had three options: accept applications and appoint a new board member, hold a special election or leave the seat open.

The post became vacant when John Pinto, a 12-year board member, resigned after the May 15 election, in which incumbents Steve Enella and Todd Ransom lost their seats to challengers Michelle Gordon and Vincent Lentini in a tough — and close — campaign.

The buzz around the community, and on social media, was that Pinto had resigned to protest the election results, but Pinto declined to comment on the reports, telling the Herald only, “My departure will be a great relief to me, because it frees up my time, and [will be] no great loss to the public.”

Enella received the third-highest number of votes in the election, and many residents later signed and submitted a petition asking the board to place him in the seat. Since then, the board has debated whether to appoint him.

At the June meeting, Board President Jennifer Hyland and trustees Ed Corona and Tracey Miller supported soliciting applications from the public, rather than simply seating Enella. But Trustee Wendy Gargiulo, who originally supported giving the seat to Enella, and Lentini, who supported leaving it vacant, disagreed, and the topic was tabled, as was the case again in July.

At the Aug. 14 meeting, the majority of the board decided in favor of accepting applications from residents.

“In the July meeting, I know I made a motion that the Board of Education accept applications to appoint a trustee to fill the vacant seat until July of 2019,” Corona said. “I know we had some discussion, but I’d like to vote on that.”

“I second that,” Miller said. “I agree. I think I want to do that.”

Gargiulo disagreed. “I think if we’re trying to move away from contention and tension, leaving the seat vacant is prudent,” she said. “I think it takes the emotion out of everything. I think that while it’s a six-member board, unless it becomes a problem, it’s not a problem.”

Trustees then voted 4-2 in favor of accepting applications.

Now the board must gather additional information on how best to collect the applications. That decision has yet to be made, Hyland said, adding, “We will talk to our legal counsel on how best to proceed.”

Superintendent Cynthia Seniuk said District Clerk Joanne Long would look into how similar situations were handled in the past and provide information to the board.

Trustees also said they were concerned about how best to let residents know about the application process. One resident noted that not all residents have access to newspapers or the district website, and suggested that a letter be sent in the mail.

Trustees will discuss how to move forward at the Sept. 12 meeting. The board might also call a special meeting, Hyland said.