Special meeting to address school board vacancies

WOONSOCKET – In what could be at least a partial break in the political stalemate that’s kept two seats on the School Committee vacant since mid-December, the City Council will hold a special meeting Thursday to consider confirming Steve Lima – one of Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt’s choices for the board.

Council President Dan Gendron said he hopes the mayor sees the move as an invitation to offer a companion measure reappointing former Vice Chairman Donald Burke. Despite broad support from parents, teachers and others in the public school community, Baldelli-Hunt refused to reappoint Burke when his only term on the panel expired in mid-December.

During a phone conversation on Tuesday, Baldelli-Hunt reaffirmed her position, saying she had already forwarded her choices to the council for consideration.

“I’ve already made my appointments,” the mayor said.

The mayor had previously appointed Joyce Conti, a career educator, to fill an opening left by the departure of Committeewoman Susan Pawlina, who wasn’t seeking reappointment. On Jan. 29, however, a council majority rejected Conti and voted to keep Lima off the table unless his appointment was tethered to a proposal from the mayor to give Burke another term. The mayor called it political extortion and vowed not to accede to the council’s all-or-nothing demands.

The proposed resolution to consider Lima’s appointment tomorrow comes amid mounting pressure from parents who are concerned that the continued standoff has left the School Committee dangerously close to paralysis. In order to hold a lawful meeting, at least three of the panel’s five members must be available. All it takes for a breakdown with the available membership is the failure of one member to be absent for a scheduled meeting.

A hands-on real estate developer and founding mem- ber of the Woonsocket Taxpayer Coalition, Lima ran for mayor in 2009. He enjoys strong support among members of the council, including those who normally vote with the pro-Baldelli-Hunt minority and the mayor’s reigning adversaries.

In an interview about tomorrow’s meeting on radio station WNRI Tuesday, Council Vice President Jon Brien, resurrecting charges that surfaced weeks ago, said the mayor is carrying out a “political vendetta” against Burke for speaking truthfully about a lawsuit initiated by the administration to modify the deed for Barry Field last year. Currently the 22- acre field must be used for educational and recreational purposes, but the mayor envisions selling it off, using the proceeds to help build a new football field at a redeveloped Cass Park, next door to Woonsocket High School.

The suit made representations that the School Committee actively supported the legal action and the Woonsocket Education Department no longer had any use for the field – claims school officials said were premature. The suit was later withdrawn.

The mayor, meanwhile, rejects Brien’s claims, saying she chose Conti for her expertise with school curriculum and Lima for his experience in the construction trades – areas that will be increasingly important for the WED in the near future. She claims Brien and his allies on the council want Burke on the board to solidify control of the panel, partly through Brien’s father-in-law, School Committeeman Paul Bourget. But Brien dismisses the allegations as “a delusion,” saying that anyone who knows Bourget realizes he’s unwaveringly independent-minded.

This sort of political feud over vacancies on the school board would have been impossible until 2014, after voters approved a referendum to switch to an appointive school committee. Previously, members ran for office like other candidates for council and mayor. Now Woonsocket and Providence are the only cities in Rhode Island with appointive school committees, and North Smithfield operates with a mix of appointive and elective members.

As approved by the voters, the City Charter now gives the mayor the authority to identify her proposed appointees – but they cannot be seated unless a majority of the council – at least four of its seven members – also approves.

An English teacher at Bridgewater-Raynham High School with 40 years experience in education, Burke, 64, can hardly believe the outpouring of support he’s received since the news got around that he wouldn’t be offered another term on the school committee.

“To be quite honest,” he told The Call last week,” I’m really surprised how big it’s become. I never expected that and people who know me can’t believe it’s me. I’m really laid back and I never seek notice and I go about doing my job. I never asked for any of this.”

Thursday’s meeting is scheduled for 6:15 p.m in Harris Hall. Follow Russ Olivo on Twitter @russolivo