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Richard P. Early Jr. remains in his seat on the Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School board, adding another three-year term to his nearly 24 years of service.
With supporters testifying to his good character at last night’s meeting, the Haverhill School Committee chose Early over its own Gail M. Sullivan. Richard J. Rosa, Thomas Grannemann, and Sullivan were the only members to cast votes for her. Paul A. Magliocchetti abstained.
Before the vote, the committee removed a section from a proposed appointment policy that would have given preference for a Haverhill committee member to hold one of the city’s two Whittier seats. With the recommendation coming from member Jill Story, Rosa and Sullivan voted against the cut, with Magliocchetti abstaining.
Multiple candidates dropped out during the selection process that resulted in Early’s victory. Initially, the committee announced two seats were open. But candidates were left to compete only for Early’s spot after board members went back on their attempt to vacate former member Scott W. Wood Jr.’s post. Former City Councilor Mary Ellen Daly O’Brien said she dropped out because she did not want to run against Early.
Richard P. Early Jr. (Courtesy photograph.)
Questioning the turn of events, Samantha Torres, Early’s daughter, went so far as to read aloud the definition of corruption to committee members at last night’s meeting.
She said, “Corruption is a form of dishonesty by a person or organization, which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to abuse power for one’s personal gain.”
After the finalist facing Early ended his candidacy as well, and Early appeared to be uncontested, Sullivan entered the race. Apologizing for the confusion, Sullivan said she tried to enter at the same time as other candidates, but City Solicitor Lisa L. Mead had cautioned that Haverhill School Committee members might not be able to run. A state Ethics Commission ruled to the contrary, with Sullivan pointing out committee members had always served on the Whittier Tech board in her time on the body.
With many of his backers also at previous meetings, residents spoke to Early’s presence in the community, his help getting their children into Whittier Tech and his devotion to the school’s staff and students.
Sean Gallagher said his son, who wanted to become a plumber like him, was devastated when he heard he had been waitlisted at Whittier Tech. Gallagher met with Early, who helped find his son a tutor to get his grades up.
“He gave him more confidence than I ever did in being a plumber,” Gallagher said. “He turned around and said to him, ‘You have to earn this now. You have to try to get it.’ And every week he goes to that tutor and he puts everything in with the hopes that he may get there, and it’s all because of Dick Early.”
Another of Early’s supporters praised his moral compass, calling him and his family “generous.” She said, “You can’t look past community involvement, taking the time to know your city, know the people that you govern for.”
Committee members who voted for Early cited the surge of community support. Sullivan said she chose to run for the seat in honor of her son, who died of brain cancer in June. He had been a teacher at Whittier Tech.
Grannemann, one of the few members to vote for Sullivan, said, “She’s got Whittier Tech credentials from the education side. She’s got financial skills from the finance committee. She’s been on school building committee. Even though, we may or may not want to require a school committee preference, I think the connection here is important to correct the lack of connection we’ve had between Whittier Tech and Haverhill over the last few years.”
Whittier Tech faces required code upgrades with a projected cost of around $350 million after its sending communities voted no to a $267.5 million rebuild plan in January. A shared campus with Northern Essex Community College is also under consideration, as WHAV reported.