Summary of September 25, 2018 Special Meeting Appoint Trustee for Vacant Seat

On September 25, 2018, the Board held a special meeting that was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The public received notice of this meeting, on September 24, 2018, by a paper posting on the doors to all three elementary schools in our district. CRONM took a picture of the notice and it is posted on our facebook page. Per the notice, the Board upon convening the meeting at 7:00 pm. was going to immediately go into executive session because they were going to discuss the financial, employment history of certain individuals. What the Board was doing was interviewing some of the 13 candidates who submitted their letters of intent for the vacant board seat. We understand that the Board interviewed Steve Enella, Meghan Ryan Smith, Maria Small, Sue Moeller, Jerry Acuna and Skip Haile. We were advised that some, not all, of the remaining 13 candidates were interviewed the week before, possibly on Friday, September 21, 2018. It remains unclear whether there was a special board meeting held between the September 12, 2018 Board Meeting and September 21, 2018, where the Board discussed and decided on which candidates to interview.

ADDITION 11/12— After CRONM posted the above summary on September 30, 2018, the district updated their website and posted the meeting minutes of a September 17, 2018 “Special Meeting”. There does not appear to have been any notice of this meeting to the residents and the meeting minutes indicate that this meeting was in violation of the Open Meetings law. For the meeting minutes, please click on the link below.

September 17, 2018 Meeting Minutes

In any event, we understand that a lot of residents were concerned that the Board was going to exclude the public and hold the discussion and decision to fill the vacant seat in executive session. CRONM along with many other residents wrote to the Board asking them to reconsider. The Board listened to its constituents. The Board appears to have followed the open meetings law; they did the right thing. The Board opened their debate and discussion on who to fill the seat to the residents at 9:45 p.m. The Board had a very thorough public debate. It was really insightful. We thanked the Board and continue to thank the Board for respecting the process, listening to its residents and permitting the residents to participate.

CRONM Video taped the meeting and the posting can be viewed on our facebook page. CRONM is working on getting the videos to post on our website.

The Board selected Meghan Ryan Smith to fill the vacant seat. Meghan is an attorney for Nassau University Medical Center, has prior board experience, currently sits on two boards, has experience in dealing with finance and review of financials, has children in the district (Fayette), and is a longtime North Merrick resident who graduated from Chatterton, MAMS and Calhoun. Meghan agreed to be sworn in on the spot! We have learned that she jumped right into her role speaking at the different PTA meetings throughout the week and participating in the Board’s September 27, 2018 board retreat. If you see Meghan around, please congratulate her on her appointment. Her photograph is posted on CRONM’s website.

See everyone on October 9, 2019.