LONGMEADOW — Four Longmeadow School Committee members have resigned from their positions in the wake of the vote taken at Longmeadow’s Special Town Meeting on Jan. 17 that could potentially allow for a recall election for elected officials.

In a polarizing decision on Nov. 14, 2018 four School Committee members, Chair Beth Barron, Vice Chair Kerrin Morrin, Stephanie Jasmin and Melanie Rothstein voted to not renew Superintendent Dr. Martin O’Shea’s contract with Longmeadow Public Schools. Instantly residents shared their displeasure with the School Committee, with one stating, “Good luck with failure.”

Since then, an exceptional number of residents have attended Select Board meetings and School Committee meetings voicing their support for O’Shea. The School Committee began to move forward in the search of a new Superintendent to be hired on July 1 of this year.

At the Jan. 8 School Committee meeting, the Committee invited the 10–person Longmeadow Administrative Team to discuss moving forward. Administrative Team member and Assistant Superintendent for Learning Susan Bertrand spoke on behalf of the team, stating that the members were “all uncomfortable” sitting before the School Committee.

“We have great worries about potential retribution from comments that we might have,” Bertrand added.

At the Jan. 17 Special Town Meeting, residents filled the Longmeadow High School gymnasium to vote on whether or not the town’s Home Rule Charter would be amended to grant registered voters the power to recall elected officials in Longmeadow. Following discussion for and against the amendment, Longmeadow residents ultimately voted to pass the article.

On Jan. 23 Barron, Morrin, Jasmin and Rothstein submitted their resignation letters to the Town Clerk. The Town Clerks office confirmed with Reminder Publishing that the four had resigned from their positions on the School Committee.

In a comment to Reminder Publishing, Town Manager Stephen Crane explained that Town Counsel is looking at the charter and state regulations and is reconciling the documents with the resignations in order to understand how the town should proceed. In addition, Crane noted, the town is working on determining whether or not resignation letters can be released to the public.

The three questions the town must resolve moving forward, according to Crane, are as follows:

• Can the three remaining School Committee members continue to operate as a School Committee?
• Can they meet jointly with the Select Board to appoint new members?
• Will there need to be a special election?

UPDATE as of Jan. 24 at 10 a.m.: The Select Board and remaining School Committee members will hold a joint meeting on Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Longmeadow High School, 535 Bliss Rd. in Longmeadow at meeting room A15. Though the Agenda has not yet been posted online, it reads:

1. Review of State law, Town Charter, Town By-Laws and School Committee and Select Board policies on filling vacancies - Discussion
2. Providing for School Committee to act as a board: Discussion
3. June 11th election directie to town clerk: Discussion and vote by Select Board
4. Setting schedule for filling vacancies: Discussion and vote

Reminder Publishing will be following this story closely and will provide updates as they are available.