Bevilacqua Will ‘Keep My Word,’ Resign from School Committee

Haverhill City Councilor Joseph J. Bevilacqua.

School Committeeman Shaun P. Toohey.

Newly-sworn Haverhill City Councilor Joseph J. Bevilacqua has decided to “keep my word and my commitment” by choosing to step down from his seat on the Haverhill School Committee.

In a letter filed late this afternoon with City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas, Bevilacqua said he had anticipated he would step down if elected to the council, however, “a number of people” encouraged him to remain on the school committee while serving on the council. While permissible under law, he could only accept one salary from either panel.

“I have given this serious consideration in recognition of my role, contribution and participation as a member of the school committee and the challenges before Haverhill that remain to continue to provide the best education possible for our school children,” Bevilacqua said. “However, I also recognize the most important thing an elected official has is his word, and I gave mine to the residents of Haverhill that I would step down if elected to the council.”

Bevilacqua’s resignation from the school committee is effective Friday, Jan. 15, one day after the committee’s scheduled first meeting of the new year. As WHAV reported last November, tradition suggests now-former Committeeman Shaun P. Toohey, who finished in fourth place and did not win re-election, would be selected to complete the unexpired term. However, another former committee member, Susan D. Danehy, who did not run for another four-year term, said she would be interested in a two-year appointment to see the completion of the Hunking School project “to the end.” She remains a voting member on the Hunking School Building Committee.

“In terms of fairness, for this particular cycle, it was just a matter of looking at it for four years down the road and I just didn’t feel like I could devote the kind of time I wanted to, four years, but certainly two years was doable,” Danehy said.