Two Former Selectmen Among Candidates to Fill Open School Committee Seat

Two former Selectmen and a Wenham parent are the three candidates Wenham Selectmen and School Committee members will have to choose from to fill an empty School Committee seat.

Harriet Davis, Tyson Goodridge and Larry Swartz are the three residents who submitted their name to fill the vacany left when Don Gallant resigned last month. The Committee’s bylaws require that since Gallant is from Wenham the vacancy must be filled by a Wenham resident.

Davis was a Wenham selectmen who was defeated by Patrick Wilson in last year’s election. Goodridge is a parent with two boys in the school system. Swartz is a former selectman who served as chairman.

Voters will decide who fills the position at the polls next May, but the person chosen next week will fill the spot on the nine-member committee until then and can seek election to continue on the committee.

All three candidates will spend a half hour each before School Committee members and Wenham Selectmen next Monday night before a final decision is expected to be made on Thursday night.

 “They will basically interview the three candidate,” said Interim Schools Superintendent Peter Gray. The candidates will appear before the two boards beginning at 7 p.m. on the second floor of the central office on School Street. It will be open to the public.

The School Committee and Wenham Board of Selectmen will meet together on Thursday, Sept. 22 to take a vote.