Policy BBBE: Unexpired Term Fulfillment

When a vacancy on the Amherst or Pelham School Committees occurs for any reason, the Board of Selectmen and the remaining members of the Committee of the appropriate town share the responsibility for filling it.

As provided in the law, the School Committee will notify the Selectmen that a vacancy has been created within 30 days after it has occurred. After one week’s notice has been given by the Committee to the Selectmen, so that voters of the town may have the opportunity to state their candidacy, the two governing bodies will meet to fill the vacancy by roll call vote.

For election to fill a vacancy, a candidate must receive a majority of the votes of the officers entitled to vote. The person so elected will fill the seat on the Committee until the next town election, at which time a member will be elected to serve the remainder of the term, if any. If the vacancy in the town School Committee also causes a vacancy to occur on the Regional School Committee, once the vacancy is filled the town School Committee will designate a member to fill the Regional School Committee vacancy from that town.