School board chair resigns, board in flux

Vermont Standard

3/19/20


By Allan Stein

Standard Staff

The Windsor Central Supervisory Union (WCSU) School Board’s newly elected chair has abruptly resigned and two other board members reportedly have threatened to resign following accusations and an election process described as “mistrustful” and “flawed.”

“Effective immediately, I am stepping down as chair,” Pomfret School Board member Patricia Kuzmickas wrote in an email that she sent to board at 3:12 p.m. on March 10, less than 24 hours after she was elected.

“It has been expressed to me today that the process by which I was elected has led to members of this body to doubt my integrity and to express an inability to trust me going forward. I will not argue those points further but please know it was not my intent.

“I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused the board. I will put my FULL UNQUALIFIED support behind whoever is elected by this body going forward and hope that the important work of the board can pro-ceed to the benefit of our students and communities,” Kuzmickas wrote. She later submitted her resignation from the school board.

By Wednesday afternoon, Kuzmickas’ contact information on the board’s webpage had been removed. Her position is listed as “vacant.”

Kuzmickas’s resignation comes after the board on March 9 appointed her by a vote of 9-7 over Louis Piconi of Woodstock.

At the March 9 meeting, School Board Member Jim Haff of Killington nominated Kuzmickas for the chair position, and School Board Member Clare Drebitko of Woodstock nominated Piconi.

“I nominated a person who I thought really cared about the community and the kids, and who would run a good meeting,” Haff said in a telephone interview.

“The collective will of the board was a vote for chair. The outcome was Patti, 9, Lou, 7. Patty had the majority vote. Then individuals went out to confront Patti questioning the process and then questioning her integrity. I wonder, am I missing something here?” Haff said.

Haff said that soon after the vote four board members threatened to resign if Kuzmickas did not relinquish the role.

“I think it’s sad that a few people can get to somebody and put them in a place in which they unfortunately resign. That they felt they were badgered and bullied. That they can’t deal with this anymore and resign,” Haff said.

In a three-page email addressed to the board on March 10 before the resignation, Piconi congratulated Kuzmickas on her win.

“Taking on this role is not a decision to be made lightly and I respect (Kuzmickas) for stepping up. I would be lying if I said that I am not disappointed. I’ve spent the last 13 weeks preparing for this role,” Piconi wrote.

He added, “As part of that effort I used my professional and board contacts to learn more about how districts like ours solve tough problems. Part of that work may benefit your leadership.”

Later in the message, he said that he planned to resign following personal attacks on his character.

“Given that there seems to be a majority of board members that are willing to criticize my character without speaking to me I will let you know it is my intention to resign.”

Piconi said a formal letter of resignation would be submitted after his return from New York City.

In an email exchange between Woodstock board member Malena Agin and Haff on March 10, also before Kuzmickas’ resignation, Agin wrote, “I am suggesting this (election process) be clarified immediately because if someone is questioning due process, then consider this my resignation too.”

Agin, writing in the same email thread, said, “It was Patti’s consent to Louis’ email that did it for me, Jim. Woodstock at its worst. Lies, manipulation and deceit. They win again but I really can’t stomach it anymore.”

Agin did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Woodstock board members Clare Drebitko and Ben


Ford did not return March 12 emails from the Standard seeking comment.

However, newly appointed board vice-chair Bryce Sammel, in an email on March 12, confirmed that Kuzmickfall as “turned in a letter of resignation to the district’s central office.

“Unfortunately, it appears there have been some individuals contacting the media speaking about interactions between specific board members that are untrue and unsubstantiated by the people mentioned,” he added.

“The board recognizes the many challenges it has faced and continues to face uniting many communities and diverse priorities. It further recognizes the need for the community to understand when information, that is not the collective will of the board, is being offered by individuals, that it does not represent the perspective of the mindset of the board as a whole,” Sammel wrote.

WCSU board member Pamela Fraser of Barnard said she could address some, “but not all,” of the election controversy.

“A small group of board members were surprised that Patti was running for chair, because she had only decided to run a few days before and they had not heard. There was nothing improper about the voting process, but they were unhappy with not being made aware that she would run,” Fraser wrote in the March 12 email.

“This small group discussed this with Patti after the meeting and the next day, and this led to Patti’s resignation. In turn, this fact then upset other members who believed that due process was followed and that it was wrong to question the outcome of the vote. I personally into this latter group that feels it was not proper to not simply accept the outcome of the vote,” Fraser wrote.

In an email sent on March 10 to Kuzmickas, Fraser wrote: “I am not sure I understand why a board member’s late decision to run for chair is considered mistrustful. No one running for chair should ever be considered inevitable, it’s an election.”

Fraser proposed that the issue be continued as an agenda item “for a meeting in the near future.”

In a letter dated March 11 to the school board, Superintendent Mary Beth Banios described the WSCU School Board as being “at a crisis point.”

She wrote, “With difficult decisions related to competing priorities, potential multiple board resignations, challenges related to board leadership etc., there is no more important time for the board to pull together. It is a critical juncture.

“Despite multiple attempts to resolve the board’s challenges internally, the board must now look for external support to address this ongoing strife and be willing to embrace commitments that must be made in this process.

“Your appointed board chair, Patti Kuzmickas, has made the decision to resign. As the board leadership dilemma continues to evolve, I will be working with Bryce Samuel, appointed vice chair of the board, on meeting agendas and potential structures to assist the board in resolving the internal challenges it is facing,” Banios said.