Dear Editor:
SEA President Bob Anderson’s announcement of a “Vote of No Confidence” in Superintendent Randina, along with his declaration that he will be a candidate in this years Board of Education election, made at the last school board meeting Jan. 19, just one month before candidates file to run, came as no shock to me.
At first I blamed Mike Gonnelli, accusing him of working in concert with the SEA decision to hold off the their “no confidence vote” in order to coincide with the upcoming Board of Education election. I advised him that he was listening to the wrong people in this “no-confidence vote” matter.
I would tell Mike (when we were on better terms) before he cut the school budget: “When you make a decision based on wrong information, like you did with the Professional Services Contract Broker of Record for Employment Health & Insurance, it would be wrong.”
Gonnelli went along and did it anyway. A court order proved me to be correct.
There is no doubt about it. This “no confidence” strategy targeting Superintendent Randina will have a backlash. Once again, Mayor Gonnelli was guilty of listening to the wrong people in this confrontation between SEA and Superintendent Randina. To Mayor Gonnelli’s credit, this time he did make an effort to stop this confrontation, however it was a failure, too late. I don’t know the key to a successful ending to this matter but the key to his failure in this matter was his trying to please everybody.
Mayor, your effort to stop this chaos should have started back in November of 2011.
Now, just one month before candidates file to run for the board, the SEA takes another “no confidence” vote in the superintendent. A coincidence? I think not. Is this Mr. Anderson’s way of advertising for candidates to run on a slate with him? Time will tell.
I believe there is a choice you have to make in every decision that comes before you, keeping in mind the choice you make, makes or breaks you. The choice Mr. Anderson and SEA have chosen will have a significant domino effect on the town and school system. They have chosen this road. So be it.
I choose to support Superintendent Cynthia Randina and plan to detail why I am doing so during my campaign for re-election to the Board of Education.
Tom Troyer