The three Democrat incumbents on the Board of Education were defeated in Tuesday's election by their Republican challengers who were running under the "Parents Not Politicians" banner. However Democrat newcomer Heidi Keyes squeaked out an 11 vote win over Republican Artie Kassimis. As a result of the small margin of victory a recount of all of the votes will be required within 10 days.
Board Chairwoman Rosa Murray (D), Amy Jimenez (D) and Shirley Mosby were voted off of the BOE by Norwalk voters. In their place Steve Colarossi (R), Sue Haynie (R), and Erin Halsey (R) were elected to four year terms.
Here are the numbers (an example of how every vote counts!):
* Steve Colarossi 6,671 votes
* Sue Haynie 6,400 votes
* Erin Halsey 5,947 votes
* Heidi Keyes 5,908 votes
* Artie Kassimis 5,897 votes
* Amy Jimenez 5,486 votes
* Rosa Murray 5,469 votes
* Shirley Mosby 4,597 votes
Democrats were also defeated in other city contests including mayor and several common council seats. The poor results for the party was attributed to voter dissatisfaction at the existing BOE candidates. "The driver of the election was on the back of the ballot," said a senior Democrat explaining the day's results.
Democrats gathered at a vacant store on North Main Street to watch the election results come in. As they milled about eating pizza and fried chicken, the mood turned gloomy as the results were announced.
"This is bad for the city," said Galen W. Wells, District E Chair. "There will be no minorities elected on to the board, and with Republicans you can expect to see cuts in the budget that will affect services."
None of BOE candidates would comment on the outcome.
In contrast, the Republicans gathered at a ballroom in the Norwalk Inn and a cash bar was was in full swing.
The "Parents Not Politicians" candidates were heartily congratulated by Mayor Richard Moccia who was in a jubilant mood having been re-elected himself.
Sue Haynie (R) said that the election showed that voters thought that it was, "a time for change."
Steve Colarossi an Independent who was endorsed by the Republicans said that he was eager to begin working. When asked how he would approach forming the 2010 school year budget he said that he and his colleagues would first look for efficiencies and then look for "administrator bloat and waste." He said that there may also be "better ways of doing things" referring to the school district's current approach to special education which involves $400,000 being budgeted towards legal fees.
Mr. Colarossi also said that the new BOE would have to decide how to provide interim leadership for the school district if a new superintendent cannot be found before Dr. Papallo has to leave in December. He said that the current Board's delay in hiring a search firm was "egregious." He suggested that an outside administrator would have to be brought in if there was money for that, or the Board would consider using the assistant superintendent as a fill-in.
Mr. Colarossi also acknowledged that the lack of minority representation on the BOE was a problem, but he also believed that individuals who used this argument overlooked his own background. He said that his children, adopted from Kazakhstan, were minorities.
"It's not a color issue, it's a kid issue," said Sue Haynie when asked about minority representation on the Board. "We are working for all the kids of Norwalk."
Fred Wilms, a member of the Republican Town Council's executive board said that he had tried to recruit some non-White candidates but they would not cross party lines and run as Republicans.
Erin Halsey (R) said, "I'm really excited to get to work. This ticket is great because we bring different things to the table. For example, I'm not a budget person. My strength is communication, and I want to advocate for kids who don't have anyone to advocate for them."
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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okay, now lets get to work.
ReplyDeleteIf Ms Wells and Ms Murray are/were so worried about minority representation on the BOE...I ask what did they do to Greg Burnett?
ReplyDeleteThis is a good day for Norwalk's education for ALL students. Let's now get to work!
I am a member of one of the two major minority groups, and I feel no sorrow at the election results. Black and Hispanic parents need good, responsible and responsive board members, not board members who need years of a superintendent's outrageous behavior before they do something. Does anyone know how much of Dr. Corda's contract the board is still honoring? Did he take his medical and life insurance benefits with him, even though he resigned? I know there were negotiations, but I never saw the settlement. I hope that the new board, in the interest of transparency and open communication, will see fit to inform the taxpayers about this. Given the board members Norwalk has had to live with, nothing would surprise me.
ReplyDeleteI hope this is a wake-up call for the remaining board members.
Congratulations new BOE members! Let's get to work!!!
ReplyDeleteA Vote for Fiscal Sanity !!! Bravo !!!
ReplyDeleteCut the do-nothing six-figure administrators in the Central Orifice !!!
Ms.Wells is a typical Limousine liberal hypocrite who purports to be "middle-class".
ReplyDeleteWe cannot elect our officials based upon their race. The Democrats have brought this on themselves. I agree with the earlier poster - what happened to Greg Burnett? He dared to go against Bruce Morris' advice and supported the appointment of Naramake's current principal. Look where that got him.
ReplyDeleteVoters were making a statement that they will no longer tolerate a dysfunctional board of education. The board's antics and disrespect to Corda (whether you agreed with him or not) and McQuillan were shameful.
The next one to go should be Rivas.
Now that you mention Bruce Morris, it's time for him to go, too. Correction. It was time for him to go a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteThese results are definitely a step in the right direction. Thank you Moina for publishing them as they were impossible to find in today's Advocate.
ReplyDeleteSo the priorities here are special education, superintendent search and central office cuts? Well, let's hope for the best with these priorities.Frankly, I'm concerned about accountability...teacher accountability, central office accountability, principal accountabilitylllWas that 'A' word mentioned anywhere???? NO, I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteI continue to ask for the moderator's investigation into the Naramake School after school program. She said she would look into it. I hope she does because these new BOE members won't....I wonder why...
What are you expecting that Ms. Noor will find in the investigation of the Naramake after school program. Can you be more explicit in the allegation that you are making.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest that to clear the air, the financials of Naramake's Family Resource Center be made public. It's a nonprofit organization. The pre-school occupies two classrooms and the school currently has a portable classroom. As far as I am aware, the city receives no reimbursment for rent, electricity, custodial support... Some parents pay very little, some parents pay market rate. Certainly, we know that many out of Naramake district kids attend the elementary school (something like 35) most likely because of the of the preschool and afterschool programs. I would suggest that the Naramake Family Resource Center publish its financials to eliminate future innuendos as I assume that the previous author believes Collarossi may have a conflict in his position on the FRC Board and the BOE. The taxpayers have the right to understand what is happening on their property. As an educator, I am an advocate of early childhood education but as taxpayer, I believe we are responsible for educating our children in grades K-12. Let's get the whole matter out in the open so that we can proceed and focus on the important task of improving the NPS. I can't imagine that this will be an issue - unless of course we were all hoodwinked by the parents not politicians party line.
ReplyDeleteIf there is nothing to hide in the FRC financials, let's get it all out in the open. Who is getting paid, and how much? How much time do the administrators, paid by NPS, put into this program? What salaries are paid? Who is the attorney for the FRC, and how much is paid in legal fees?
ReplyDeleteWe should start the newly elected BOE fresh. If there is a cloud over Parents Not Politicians, we want to know now.
"If there is a cloud over Parents Not Politicians, we want to know now."
ReplyDeleteIt would have been much better to learn about any improprieties at FRC before the election. Now it's a bit too late.
However better to know than not to know at all.
If you value this type of information I would urge my fellow readers to make a small donation to Moina's tip jar. We're not getting what we need from The Hour.
It's premature to be discussing "improprieties." Whoever is doing that must want to cast a pall of suspicion on the new board members. Let's first see if there are any improprieties.
ReplyDeleteSounds just like when Alex lost. Be careful he probably has already tutored them in how to remove files and make appointments in their final days.They are just Lame Ducks until the 17th.
ReplyDeleteThe depth of baseless innuendo posted by "Anonymous" and his kin necessitated a more detailed response than this limited comment section would provide. You can find my complete response at: http://www.norwalknet.com/2009/11/steve-colarossi-and-naramake-family.html
ReplyDeleteAlthough I doubt "Anonymous" will bother reading my response, after all facts have not dissuaded him yet, I nonetheless offer my reply because the rhetoric of the postings were demeaning to the many people who have been involved in the Naramake Family Resource Center, Inc. over the years.
Seemed to me someone was just asking some questions and was looking for some answers. Not sure who 'him' is. I'm also not sure why you're so angry about it.
ReplyDeleteI don't quite understand the attack on the FRC and how that relates to whether the new BOE will do a better job than the former BOE (not difficult to do I might add). Let me speak as a parent of the FRC, a voter, and someone who has personally experienced the former BOE and some of the incompetencies of some of those members. The FRC charges on a sliding scale so that ALL are able to participate. I have been on BOTH ends of that scale - so I know first hand. The people that run AND work in the FRC have only the best interests of our children in mind - unlike some former BOE members who had agendas that had nothing to do with the welfare of our children (regardless of race) - which became glaringly obvious to the parents of this community who ARE involved and DO attend the BOE meetings - thus our new BOE. If these former members are so concerned with a minority represenatation on the BOE - their actions would not have been so self serving. DO you not wonder WHY our schools have done as poorly as they have? Do you not think it is a result of POOR leadership? I am looking forward to the years ahead.
ReplyDeleteDescribing the leadership as poor is actually a compliment and an elevation of its status. A more apt description would be: corrupt and rife with cronyism. When egregiously self-serving behavior not just by BOE members but also by principals and teachers is not only overlooked but sanctioned by the powers-that-be, despite complaints by parents and the community at large, it is a wonder that the Norwalk Public School system is not in even worse shape. What's truly sad is the collateral damage inflicted on those dedicated, consummate professional teachers (and there are many) who find it increasingly difficult to do their job within the anti-intellectual environments created by self-serving, vindictive leaders and their toadies. Yes, currently there's a big buzz in this city and while such words as Transparency, Accountability, Dialogue, Visibility, etc, etc, are being bandied about with abandon, if you're expecting real and substantive changes, please don't hold your breath, you might just . . . expire! Bear in mind that while students go through the school system and are, in that respect, transient these 'leaders' are well-ensconced in their positions and gain lasting power with each passing year. Real change in the school system can only come about if there is a ground-swell of students, parents, business leaders and property owners who are fed up with the nonsense and have the sustained focus and determination necessary to affect meaningful and lasting changes.
ReplyDelete