School Committee Looking for Candidates for Interim Appointment

The Braintree School Committee will appoint an interim member following the resignation of Joe Zarrella and is seeking applications for the post.

Zarrella announced his resignation during the committee meeting Monday night. It became effective on Tuesday. Braintree's Charter calls for a qualified runner-up from the last town election to fill the vacancy, but no one met the standard, Town Clerk Joe Powers said.

The relevant section of the Charter (Article 4, Section 4-6) says that the next-in-line candidate be appointed to the seat if they receive at least 60 percent of the vote total of the first place candidate.

Zarrella was originally a qualified runner-up and was placed on the committee when Kelly Foley refused her seat. The next candidate, Shaza Alzaim, did not have the required number of votes. She may still be appointed, Powers said, but only if the committee chooses her.

As it stands, the process will play out as outlined in a memo to the committee from Powers:

"Persons appointed to fill a vacancy by the school committee shall serve only until the next regular town election at which time the vacancy shall be filled by the voters and the person elected to fill the vacancy shall immediately be sworn and shall serve for the remainder of the expired term in addition to the term for which elected. Persons serving as school committee members, not elected by the voters, shall not be entitled to have the words 'candidate for reelection' printed against their names on the ensuing election ballot."

Candidates must be Braintree residents and also registered voters.

Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest and resume no later than 2 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2013 to:

The Braintree School Committee

348 Pond St.

Braintree, MA 02184

Fax: 781-380-0146

Questions should be referred to the superintendent's office at 781-380-0130 Ext. 100.