NORWICH – The Norwich City School District Board of Education convened at its regular meeting last evening where over 50 members of the public attended to voice concerns over the passing of personnel recommendations.

The board voted 4-2 to table personnel recommendations until a special Board of Education meeting set for 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22. This after BOE Vice President Jennifer Collins said she wasn't familiar with some of the names on the personnel recommendations sheet.

The personnel recommendations comprised teaching appointments, fall coaching appointments, and winter coaching appointments in one item on the agenda.

Superintendent Gerard O'Sullivan asked if the board would consider appointing at least the teaching staff, since the start of the 2017-18 school year is less than a month away.

“I have teachers that we have to get appointed, and an assistant principal we have to get appointed. That has been on [the personnel recommendations] since last meeting,” said O'Sullivan. “Nothing's changed. We have to hire staff, school is starting in 20-odd days. I would like to at least appoint the teaching staff.”

Board of Education President John Klockowski said that it's the Superintendent's responsibility to run all personnel recommendations through the personnel committee, and that he hadn't done so. O'Sullivan said that the board never asked to see it, to which Klockowski replied, “It's a given. We're asking now.”

O'Sullivan was adamant that the role of the personnel committee was never formally decided and subsequently adopted by the board, and so to say that he was holding up the process is false.

It was settled that the matter would be further considered at a special board meeting on Tuesday. Board member Roz DeRensis noted it's an inconvenience to the public to hold meetings at 7:30 a.m., but Collins said that is typically the time the board holds special meetings.

Board member Don Chirlin noted that most of the people in the room were there to support Norwich girls varsity basketball coach Josh Bennett. It was never formally identified why Bennett's assumed appointment would be in question, but the board alluded to “rumors” in the community, and exploring the “whole story.”

This didn't sit well with the public in attendance, some of whom accused board members of avoiding transparency and promoting their personal agendas above the interests of the public.

Before the public comment portion of the meeting opened, an open dialogue between the board and attendees arose. In response to hecklers in the audience and before banging the gavel, Klockowski invited some attendees to “Pony up and run [for board] yourself.”

Collins offered an emotional reply to being accused of having an agenda.

“To have someone think we are running our own personal agendas is wrong," she said. "You are our guests. Did we not come out last year and vote 6-0 in favor of Mr. Bennett?”

The district's absence of a high school principal was another personnel issue questioned at the meeting. The personnel recommendations would move to appoint current Stanford Gibson Principal Kisten Giglio as Interim High School Principal if passed in its original state.

Once the public comment section of the meeting was open, the first two speakers, former NHS teachers Sue Fertig and Sally Chirlin, accused the administration of overlooking a qualified principal candidate in former NHS teacher Ed Erickson.

“A personal vendetta,” said Fertig. “It all comes back to that. How utterly disgusting that our district is suffering due to ego.”

“[Erickson] has all the requisite credentials but he's not been found satisfactory. Why not?” asked Chirlin.

The board nor superintendent opted to respond to Fertig or Chirlin's statements.

The rest of the public comment portion consisted of NHS girls basketball players, parents, and concerned community members exhibiting their support of Bennett.

The consensus among those who spoke was that Bennett goes above and beyond for his players, both on and off the court, and that his passion is only misinterpreted by those who don't know him.

Former NHS girls varsity basketball player Megan Komendarek gave an emotional, impromptu speech, telling the board, “It's kind of hard that we have to be here again. I'm not even in the program anymore.”

Parent to two NHS girls basketball players Todd Hansen urged the board to listen to those who are directly impacted by their decision–the players, parents, and students of Bennett.

“Why is there any question regarding the character of a man who donates so much of his time to help the community?” asked Hansen.

The final speaker was a parent of six children at NCSD (and a Sherburne-Earlville teacher) Jamie Maistros.

“This is way bigger than a coach. This is about a system that is failing. We've allowed ourselves to become sidetracked by personal dislike for each other,” said Maistros, gesturing between O'Sullivan and Klockowski. “With meeting times spent bickering about formalities and responsibility that you get to hold, rather than trusting those people you hired to hold them. Board of Ed's don't have to run like this. When teachers wake up tomorrow and see you didn't vote on [personnel recommendations] they are going to be so disappointed in a board that doesn't trust them.”

The public portion of the meeting came to a close with board member Howie Sullivan saying, “I think the most important thing to come from this meeting is, we hire capable administrators but we haven't followed their decisions.”

Before motioning to enter executive committee, Klockowski said, “I would have to politely disagree with Howie. We do follow our administrators and take listen to what you have to say, each and every day. This is how we make decisions: by collecting all the information, all the data needed.”