Hart resigns, voted back in by board to replace deceased Culver

Terry Hart’s hiatus was briefer than most.

The resignation of the longtime Peters School Board member took effect at 7:35 p.m. Monday. An hour later she was back.

The board voted 5-1 last night to appoint Hart to the seat left vacant Sept. 19 when John Culver, 74, died with two months left on his term. She will serve in that post until Dec. 2.

Mark Buzzatto cast the dissenting vote, calling for Sandy Teodori, the top vote-getter in the May primary, to be tabbed for the post. Teodori, however, declined, saying she was concerned voters might confuse her during the Nov. 4 general election as being an incumbent. Buzzatto’s motion never made it to a vote.

Hart announced tearfully last month that she was resigning after six years on the board.

The board members last night interviewed six of nine applicants to replace Hart for the remaining two years.

Interviewed were: Daniel Zajdel, Sandra Gregg, Stephen Rodgers, Ernest Sicki, John Stepusin and Jeff Yingling. The board will interview Allison McClure — who couldn’t attend last night because of a business meeting — at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Jon Amelio asked to be removed from consideration, district spokeswoman Cara Zanella said. Zanella did not know why a ninth applicant, Dennis Morgan, failed to show last night.

The board plans to vote on Hart’s replacement Oct. 20.

Voters will decide who will fill Culver’s seat and four others’ in the general election Nov. 4.

The candidates on the November ballot include Teodori and incumbents Buzzatto and Tom McMurray, all of whom won nominations in both parties; Yingling, on the Republican ballot; and incumbent Elaine Webb, on the Democratic ballot.

Culver and incumbent Karen Scharf, who was absent last night, lost in the primary.

The board last night also named Kelly Gustafson as new principal at Bower Hill Elementary School. She’ll replace Toni Sulkowski, who has been promoted to director of educational and informational technology.