She was first elected to the School Committee four years ago in a special election,
Laura K. MaloneyWESTFIELD – Laura K. Maloney plans to step down from her School Committee seat effective July 29, setting the stage for a School Committee-City Council appointment, special election or both to fill the remaining two years of her four-year term.
Maloney submitted her letter of resignation to Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, who serves a School Committee chairman, earlier this week.
Anticipated for months, the resignation is the result of Maloney’s husband Barry M. Maloney becoming president of Worcester State University on July 1. The family is currently planning their relocation to the Worcester area.
“I am glad I was able to remain on the committee to finish the search and appointment process for a new superintendent of schools and the Fiscal 2012 budget process,” Maloney said this week.
“It has been a great experience,” she said of her past four years as a member of the School Committee.
Maloney was first elected in a special election, held in conjunction with the city’s 2007 general election. She was elected to fill the remaining two years of a four-year term of the late Sharon A. Merlo-Gosselin.
Gosselin’s son Jeffrey L. Gosselin was appointed, for four months, to succeed his mother by a joint convention of the School Committee and City Council in September, 2007. Maloney defeated Gosselin in the 2007 city election.
Maloney then won a four-year term for the seat, defeating Gosselin, in the 2009 municipal election.
A decision by city officials on the path to fill the vacancy when it occurs is pending and is currently under review by the city’s Law Department.
Maloney’s current term does not expire until 2013.
School Committee veteran members Mary Ann Cleland and Mary Beth Ogulewicz Sacco have already announced they are not candidates for re-election in the scheduled Nov. 8 election. They along with Kevin J. Sullivan, who has not yet announced his intentions, are up for new four-year terms on the school board.
Four residents, including Jeffrey Gosselin, have already secured nomination papers from City Clerk Karen M. Fanion for the three four-year School Committee seats.
The three are Ramon Diaz Jr. of 242 West Rd.; Michelle P. Lesieur, 101 Hubbard St. and Melissa Alvarado of 66 East Glen Dr..
Nomination papers, with at least 60 signatures of registered voters, must be returned to Fanion’s office by Aug. 9.
If a special election is held this year to fill Maloney’s remaining term, those nomination papers will become available upon her official resignation July 29.