Plum School Board is under new leadership as a crop of political newcomers and former board members were sworn in at its reorganization meeting.
District Judge Linda Zucco swore in Michael Devine, Michael Caliguiri, Adam Hill, Amy Wetmore and former board member Michelle Stepnick, with family members in tow, to four-year terms last week.
Former board member Joe Tommarello was sworn in to a two-year term.
They joined Scott Kolar, Scott Coulson and Angela Anderson on the nine-member panel.
The three have two years remaining on their four-year terms.
Devine was named president and Caliguiri vice president, both by 6-3 votes.
They replace former president Coulson and former vice president Vicky Roessler.
Kolar nominated Anderson for both positions, and they implored their new colleagues to select someone with board experience as head of the board. Coulson also voted for Anderson twice.
Hill nominated Devine as president and Stepnick nominated Caliguiri as vice president.
Wetmore said the community decided a leadership change was needed based on the November election, in which three Republican incumbents were defeated.
“We need to acknowledge the community’s voice when we vote (on these positions) tonight,” Wetmore said.
District Business Manager John Zahorchak was unanimously selected as board treasurer.
Devine thanked his supporters after the meeting and pledged to make student success his top priority. “Everything we do from here on out is about those aspects,” he said.
Caliguiri echoed the president’s sentiments.
“It’s an honor to have been elected,” he said. “We ran on similar platforms. We’re from a variety of backgrounds, and one thing is we’re all passionate. Some of us are doing this for our families, so we’re looking forward to the opportunities and the challenges ahead.”
A budget meeting was held Dec. 10. A discussion and voting meeting was set for 7 p.m. Dec. 17 in the high school library.
