Ligonier Valley School Board can't agree on appointment to vacancy; county court to decide

It will be up to the Westmoreland County Court to fill a vacant seat on the Ligonier Valley School Board after the remaining eight board members on Wednesday failed to agree on any of six applicants for the opening.

At least three of those who sought a temporary appointment to the board seat vacated by the sudden April 29 death of Joseph Vella are among candidates who will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot for election to one of four other spots on the school board.

They are Christy Boyd and Sarah Rovedatti, who won Democratic nominations in the recent primary race as part of a successful three-candidate campaign; and Robert Fryman, who received a Republican nomination, along with running mates and board incumbents Don Gilbert Jr., Cindy Brown and Josi Bennett.

Boyd, Rovedatti and Fryman all said they plan to petition the court to be considered for the appointment, which will end in early December.

In addition to selecting four winners to each serve a full four-year term on the Ligonier Valley board, the November election will determine which candidate, each to be nominated by their respective party, will serve out the remaining two years of Vella’s term.

The other three applicants the school board considered for the temporary appointment included two former school directors — Kevin Mack and Kim Dickert-Wallace — and Salvatore Vella, the late board member’s father.

“I’m interested in this because there’s 1,360 reasons, and that’s the students,” said Boyd, who is a retired quality manager in manufacturing. She suggested her experience would help the district in maintaining updated policies now that the board has withdrawn from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, which offers that service.

“Over my career, I was tasked with maintaining compliance with evolving standards,” she said.

“Our students deserve a district that puts their needs first,” said Rovedatti, who is a compliance consultant in the financial services industry.

She said she believes she could bring a fresh perspective to the board while “putting kids first, ensuring fiscal responsibility, respecting teachers and staff and ensuring safe and modern facilities.”

Fryman, who is a retired educator, said he would bring to the board multiple perspectives including that of a former public school teacher and college professor.

“We have excellent teachers,” he said. “What makes or breaks a school district is the administration, the school board and the principals.”

He said students need to learn “five basic fundamentals of what makes an educated person: the ability to read, to write, to speak, to listen and to problem-solve.”

Vella said he hoped to serve on the board to “try to finish some of the work Joe had started,” adding, “What we need to focus on is the present and the future of these kids, teachers and parents.”

Mack said he would bring to the board experience with district operations gained during his two previous terms on the panel.

“Our facilities definitely are aging and need some work,” he said, adding that he’d like to hold the line on district property taxes, if possible.

Dickert-Wallace, who has taught in the classroom and served as a school counselor, was a member of the board for most of two terms following an initial appointment.

Amid transition on the board and some district administrative posts, she said, “I see an opportunity for stability, vision and collaboration.”

At the suggestion of Brown, the school board conducted a separate vote for each of the six applicants.

Falling short of five votes needed to approve an appointment, the school board split 4-4 on four of the candidates.

Mack and Dickert-Wallace won support from Jennifer Kromel, Irma Hutchinson, Michael Knupp and Mary Gamble.

Vella and Fryman won the votes of Gilbert, Brown, Bennett and Gary Steffey.

Boyd received the votes of Kromel, Hutchinson and Gamble. Gamble cast the sole vote for Rovedatti.