School board seeing its own class cutters

TORRINGTON — Two members of the Board of Education have collectively missed 10 meetings this calendar year with unexcused absences.

A review of school board minutes shows that since April, Republican member Daniel Thibault has been absent from six meetings.

Democrat Ed Corey, who was elected to his first term in November, has missed four meetings since February.

Both missed Thursday’s meeting, which was the only board meeting in August, and the last one before school starts Wednesday.

The absences prompted board Chairwoman Fiona Cappabianca to publicly address the problem at the most recent meeting.

“I ask the town committee members to talk to its members,” about the absenteeism, she said.

“Board members are repeatedly not here,” she said. “It’s an increasing problem over last year or so. There is a reason to miss one meeting, but you can’t miss them all.”

Thibault has a different take. “Nothing says ‘you’re required to attend.’”

He added that the board “is not interested in my opinion anymore.”

“I voice my opinion but if no one listens, I won’t talk to a brick wall,” Thibault said. His no-show attitude, he noted, stems from a change in committee leadership.

Thibault was chairman of the personnel committee since 2012, but was removed from the role, and his membership on the committee, after the November 2017 elections. The new chairwoman is Joanne Brogis. who did not return a call for comment.

Thibault’s only leadership role now is as chairman of the grievance committee.

He doesn’t plan to resign from the board. Instead, Thibault said, “I’ll just hold the seat until the elections,” in the fall of 2019.

He made that decision, he said, to make sure his seat is filled by an elected candidate rather than an appointed member.

Asked if he was concerned he would be recalled, Thibault noted, “I was the second highest vote getter in two elections. They legally can’t remove me. They can be unhappy with me,” he said about how his decisions affect the Republican Town Committee.

Former Republican Town Committee Chairwoman Wendy Traub responded, “At the town committee level it’s their responsibility to put the best candidate forward.” She declined to offer more insight on the situation.

Committee Chairman Justin Giampaolo did not respond to an email message on the subject.

Corey, the second board member who has missed a number of meetings this year, noted that his absence is work-related. Corey said he realized that having to be at work isn’t considered an excused absence for a board member.

He works in New Haven for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont.

“I will absolutely attend,” the meetings, Corey said, once the election is over. The general election is Nov. 6.

According to the BOE minutes, Thibault’s absences occurred on April 25, May 1, June 1 and 27, July 30 and Aug 22.

Corey didn’t attend the board meetings on Feb. 28, April 25, May 23 and Aug. 22, according to the meeting minutes.

“We need a level of commitment from all members. This is an elected position,” Cappabianca noted.

The school board calendar shows there are nine more meetings this school year.

Ben Lambert/ File photo Board member Daniel Thibault, second from near left, has missed six meetings since April. Ed Corey, on far right, has missed three meetings since April.