School board, Democratic committee look to fill vacancy
RIDGEFIELD — With a school board vacancy available this month, a Sept. 29 deadline has been established for interested candidates to apply for the position.
“We'll aim for BOE interviews in early October,” Board of Education Chairwoman Margaret Stamatis said.
Carina Borgia-Drake, who is resigning, was elected as a Democrat, so the charter dictates that her seat must be filled by a Ridgefield voter registered for that party.
Under the Town Charter, the vacant position is to be filled by majority vote of the remaining members of the Board of Education.
Letters of interest and an accompanying resume should be sent to: Margaret Stamatis, Chair Board of Education, 70 Prospect St., Ridgefield, CT 06877.
In a process separate from the school board interviews, the Democratic Town Committee will also talk to party members interested in the seat, and make a recommendation to the school board.
The committee has requested that Democrats who’d like to be considered to email statements of interest and resumes to recruitment@ridgefielddems.org, by Sept. 26.
The processes are separate, and while candidates must apply to the school board, it is not necessary for candidates to seek or receive the Democratic Town Committee’s endorsement.
“It has been my honor to serve the community of Ridgefield,” Borgia-Drake said. “The pandemic has impacted us all in ways we could not have anticipated. My family’s increasing needs necessitated that I submit my resignation from the board effective September 30,
2020.
“The trust of the public is a sacred gift,” she said. “At the point that I knew I could not give the students the dedication they deserve, I resigned.”
Borgia-Drake was elected to the Board of Education in 2017, and has been part of two superintendent searches.
“I am sorry to lose Carina as a valuable and influential member of the BOE,” Stamatis said. “In her three years on the board, she kept students at the heart of her decision making, and provided a passionate voice for their best interests.”
If the Board of Education doesn’t fill the seat within
30 days of the resignation date — Sept. 30 — then the Board of Selectmen will select a replacement.