School board members appointed a local attorney to fill the vacancy created after a recent resignation, which comes as the board gears up to make some big decisions.
The Voorheesville Board of Education on Monday, Nov. 17, unanimously appointed Doreen Saia to fill the vacancy created following Kristine Gravino’s resignation on Sept. 30. Saia’s appointment stretches through June 30, 2015, but has said she plans to run for a seat in next year’s election. Gravino was reelected in May to her second four-year term in an uncontested race.
Saia said she read the district’s mass email requesting people to apply for the vacancy and it piqued her interest in joining the board. Saia, who as an attorney for Greenberg Traurig, said she believes her career skills will nicely complement those of fellow board members.
“I was happy to help,” said Saia. “I think I bring a lot of capability to the board based on my own experience.”
Saia was included in the 2015 edition of “Best Lawyers in America,” a peer-reviewed publication, for her practice area of energy law. She has previously received other similar honors. Greenberg Traurig, LLP, is an international, multi-practice law firm with approximately 1,750 attorneys serving clients from 36 offices.
She has two sons in the school district, an eighth-grader and fifth-grader, so she is already involved in the school community.
“I am very involved and interested in how the school structure is now and going forward the next 10 years,” said Saia. “When you have children, I think you have more of a focused interest, naturally.”
Saia said she’s friends with Gravino and said her “presence would be missed.”
When Saia applied for the vacancy, she also committed to running in the upcoming election to keep her seat on the board.
The last election did not see any challengers against incumbents. Gravino and Cynthia Monaghan were both running for their second four-year term earlier this year. Saia said she did not want to run against either candidate, but was interested in serving on the board. She liked the job both were doing on the board, but once the vacancy popped up, she took advantage of it.
“I look forward to working with the community,” said Saia. “We are very lucky in Voorheesville. … I just think it is such an amazing place.”
The school board is also in the beginning steps of a transitional process for the district as it searches for a new superintendent. About two months ago, Teresa Thayer Snyder announced her intention to retire.
Snyder said she might do some consulting work for schools or teaching after leaving the district, but said she plans to stay out of administrative roles.
District administrators are in the beginning of the budget process for the 2015-16 school year, as well.
“Obviously, we all understand we are in a different world as far as tax levies and restrictions on budgets, and needing to be more and more creative,” said Saia.