By Kim Siebert MacPhail
Effective February 5, Noreen O’Gara has stepped down from the Bedford School Committee. In a letter of resignation sent to Superintendent of Schools Jon Sills, School Committee Chair Anne Bickford, School Committee members and Town Clerk Doreen Tremblay, O’Gara cited “professional obligations” as the reason for her departure.
“It has been a great privilege to serve on the School Committee for the past eight years alongside many dedicated volunteers and committed educators,” O’Gara wrote.
“I am very grateful to be part of a community that provides robust support for the education of all of its children and I am confident that Bedford will continue to provide the educational opportunities that our children deserve.”
O’Gara leaves the position with one year of her third term remaining. Since the time between O’Gara’s resignation and the March 9 election is less than 120 days—a discretionary specification outlined in Section 5.4 of the Town Charter—the procedure for replacing O’Gara will entail an appointment made jointly by the Selectmen and the affected board—in this case, the School Committee.
This same process was followed last year when Margot Fleischman was elected to serve as Selectman, vacating her position on the Planning Board. It was also the process by which Mike Rosenberg and Brian O’Donnell were each appointed to serve on the School Committee, replacing Dan O’Reilly and Joe Esposito’s, respectively.
The nomination process for applicants interested in completing O’Gara’s final year of office will be made public once all details are settled. Interviews are expected to take place after the March 9 Town Elections. The person who is ultimately appointed to fill this position will be eligible to run for the seat at the expiration of O’Gara’s term in 2014.
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