Westmoreland judges to fill Norwin school board vacancy

The Westmoreland County judges are expected to fill a vacancy on Norwin school board during a hearing on Oct. 16, a decision that will determine which faction will control the board for at least one month.

The county judges are meeting to select someone to fill the remainder of the late Joanna Jordan’s term, which expires when the school board reorganizes on Dec. 4. Any candidate selected will miss the Oct. 9 school board meeting, but would be eligible to sit on the board at its Nov. 13 meeting.

President Judge Christopher Feliciani directed in a court order that qualified applicants must submit resumes and letters of recommendations to court administrator Amy DeMatt by Oct. 9. Feliciani could not be reached for comment.

The decision fell to the county judges when five school district residents petitioned the county court to fill the vacancy left by the Aug. 1 death of Jordan, who had been absent from the board meetings since February.

The two factions on the school board did not give five votes to any of the four candidates who sought to fill the vacancy. One four-member faction favored Fran Bevan and Emily Gindlesperger and the opposing faction sought Tim Kotch and Robert Perkins.

Prior to the judge’s Sept. 20 court order setting the criteria for eligible candidates, four North Huntingdon residents petitioned the court for an appointment: Bevan, George C. Blissman, Gindlesperger and Matthew P. Thomas.

Whomever the judges appoint, the control of the school board for at least the next two years will be decided by the results of the Nov. 7 election. Ten candidates on two opposing slates are seeking five seats on the board.