Mark Overmyer-Velázquez To Be Appointed Clare Kindall's Board of Education Successor

Although no newcomers were elected to the Board of Education on Nov. 8, there will be several notable changes in the board's makeup by the end of Tuesday night's meeting.

Chair Clare Kindall will call the meeting to order as usual, but will turn the floor over to Karen List so that new officers can be elected.

The chairman of the Board of Education traditionally changes every two years, and Democrat Bruce Putterman, who was this November, was Kindall's planned successor, board members said. Democrat Elin Katz is expected to be named vice chairman, with Naogan Ma as secretary and Terry Schmitt and Republican Ellen Brassil as financial examiners.

Once the new officers are sworn in, Kindall, who was elected to the Town Council on Nov. 8, will officially resign from the Board of Education to assume her Council seat later in the evening.

Kindall said she feels very bittersweet about leaving the Board of Education, but after five years is ready for a different role. She made the decision to run for the Town Council in the spring, after the annual discussion about the school budget.

"The Town Council needs someone who really understands that," Kindall recalled thinking at the time. When Deputy Mayor Tim Brennan decided not to seek re-election, Kindall decided to pursue the opportunity to impact the town in a different way.

Board of Education Democrats have chosen UConn professor Mark Overmyer-Velázquez to assume Kindall's seat.

Overmyer-Velázquez, who has lived in West Hartford for seven years, is the father of three children (ages 11, 8, and 1) and is currently the co-president of the Smith School PTO. He has also been a coach in the West Hartford Youth Soccer League.

Schmitt said the choice of a minority to fill Kindall's position was purposeful. "It is absolutely true that one of the things we were looking for was someone who expanded the Board of Education to more closely resemble what West Hartford really looks like."

Five potential appointees were considered and interviewed, and two finalists were chosen for second interviews. Overmyer-Velázquez will fill the remaining two years of Kindall's term, and will then run for re-election in 2013.

As a Latino and Associate Professor of History and Director, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UConn, Overmyer-Velázquez said he is "pleased to bring to the Board a unique perspective from the growing Latino population of West Hartford."