Court decides board vacancy

MILFORD — The school board missed a deadline, the judge said. A controversial board process to fill a vacancy on the Delaware Valley School Board was taken out of their hands Wednesday afternoon. Pike County Court of Common Pleas Judge Gregory Chalek accepted candidate Jack Fisher’s petition based on the board’s failure to fill the vacancy within 30 days. John Wladar resigned on Sept. 18, but attorney Michael Weinstein argued that schedule conflicts and religious holidays prevented the school board from meeting in a timely manner to name a successor until Oct. 23. Noting the board’s efforts at Due Diligence in making the appointment, he asked for a continuance until after the board’s Thursday meeting, should they fail to act. Fisher, representing himself, challenged Weinstein’s position that the court has a choice in taking action. “The law says the court ‘shall’ act,” he said. Chelak agreed. He set the continuance request aside at the 1 p.m. hearing and said his receipt of Fisher’s petition required him to assume the responsibility for naming the replacement candidate. “This does not mean the court relishes it,” he added. Five of the seven candidates for the vacancy were in court: Denise DeGraw Fey, Fisher, Mary Gordon, William Greenlaw, and Susan Schor. Resumes were provided for Ryan Balton, who is at college in Syracuse and Bernard Marasa, who was said to be in Florida. Chelak asked those present to come forward and they briefly spoke in support of their positions. Additionally, school board members Bob Goldsack, John Kupillas and Deb DuCharme spoke in support of Marasa. Board members, Sue Casey and John Wroblewski spoke supporting Schor, while Pam Lutfy spoke supporting Gordon. Chelak said he would announce his decision by noon on Thursday, Oct. 23.