Before Wednesday’s Weatherly Area School Board caucus meeting, the board did its annual reorganization. The meeting, held online, had a rocky start. Tom Connors Jr. was named temporary chairman on a split vote, over opposition from Girard Fewins, William Knepper, Matthew vonFrisch and Shay McGee. Voting for Connors were Gerard Grega, Chad Obert, Brian O’Donnell, April Walters and Connors himself.

Jockeying about electing the board president for 2021 began even before Connors called for nominations. April Walters and incumbent Girard Fewins were both nominated. Board solicitor Chris Slusser settled a dispute over how the vote would be conducted, allowing a roll call on Walters first. The vote was four in favor (Connors, Grega, O’Donnell and Walters), and five opposed.

The vote on Fewins vote was next, and he gained a majority of six votes (Knepper, vonFrisch, McGee, Obert, O’Donnell and himself).

Fewins then presided over the rest of the meeting.

Next was a vote to name a vice president, and five names were put forward, McGee, vonFrisch Walters, O’Donnell and Connors. Votes were taken in the order candidates were nominated, with McGee and vonFrisch each receiving only four votes. Walters was up for a vote next, and she received seven votes in her favor (Connors, Fewins, Grega, Knepper, Obert, O’Donnell and herself).

Other positions were filled, including PSBA liaison, O’Donnell; CCTI Operating Committee, Walters to a 3-year term; CCTI alternate, Connors to a 1-year term; TCC voting delegate, business manager Natasha Milazzo; and TCC alternate, Knepper.

Meeting dates remain the first Wednesday of each month for the board caucus meeting, and the second Wednesday for the regular voting meeting, except in January and August, when meetings are moved back a week because of the New Year holiday, and the start of school in August.

December’s caucus meeting followed immediately, and included some contentious issues. Residents objected to topics listed in a guidance office newsletter that had been distributed to parents. LGBT awareness and Black Lives Matter in School (an actual organization that is not Black Lives Matter) led to a robust discussion, with administration explaining that these were potential discussion topics, not actual lessons. More input from parents and some board members is expected at this Wednesday evening’s regular board meeting.