Vote: 2026 Chair and Vice Chair Preliminary Vote

Transcript (~3 min @ 9:22)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 8:49 Speaker 1: ideas. With that, we'll move on to the next item in our agenda, which is the report of the student reps. Seeing that we don't have any student reps with us tonight, uh, we'll move to the next item here, which is the announcements of the superintendent. Before we begin, I just want to acknowledge there is one item underneath this particular agenda item, which is a vote for the 2026 chair and vice chair. We'll take a preliminary vote at this moment. Uh, we have two folks in the audience who are going to be coming onto the school committee. Melissa Holleran and Shari Leo, I would invite you both to come up into the conversation as we get ready to take this preliminary vote. Thank you for being here tonight, too.

▶ 9:30 Speaker 3: Hello? (clears throat)

▶ 9:32 Speaker 2: Welcome to the horseshoe.

▶ 9:36 Speaker 7: Is that me? Yeah? Okay, great. Um, in accordance with Section 4.2.A of the Melrose City Charter, along with Article III, Section 3.2 of the school committee bylaws, it's incumbent upon the school committee to elect a chair and vice chair. In my capacity as executive secretary of the committee, I shall conduct the straw poll election for chair and vice chair for calendar year 2026. Are there any nominations for the position of chair? Mr. Hartman?

▶ 10:03 Speaker 8: I nominate Seamus Kelley.

▶ 10:07 Speaker 7: Is there a second? Second. (laughs) Okay. Um, Ms. O'Connor, would you please call the roll for the nomination of Seamus Kelley to serve as chair?

▶ 10:17 Speaker 1: Yes. Ms. Withey. Yes. Ms. McAndrew. Yes. Ms. Rasse Thomas. Yes. Ms. Leo. Yes. Mr. Kelley. Yes. Ms. Driscoll. Yes. Mr. Hartman. Yes. Ms. Holleran. Yes. Okay.

▶ 10:31 Speaker 7: So, um, pursuant to the roll call for the vote of the committee, um, Seamus Kelley is elected to serve as chair of the committee effective January 2026.

▶ 10:46 Speaker 7: (applause) Um, so next up is, uh, are there any nominations for the position of vice chair?

▶ 10:53 Speaker 4: Mr. Kelley? I nominate Mr. Hartman.

▶ 10:56 Speaker 2: I'd like to second that.

▶ 10:59 Speaker 7: Okay. Um, Ms. O'Connor, would you please call the roll on the nomination of, uh, Mr. Matt Hartman to serve as vice chair? Yes. Ms.

▶ 11:06 Speaker 1: Withey. Yes. Ms. McAndrew. Yes. Ms. Rasse Thomas. Yes. Ms. Leo. Yes. Mr. Kelley. Yes. Ms. Driscoll. Yes. Mr. Hartman. Yes. Ms. Holleran. Yes.

▶ 11:18 Speaker 7: Okay. Uh, so pursuant to the roll call of the vote of the committee, uh, Mr. Hartman is elected to serve as vice chair of the committee effective January 2026.

▶ 11:34 Speaker 7: Um, so at the January 13th meeting, the superintendent, um, will preside over the official election where the newly formed committee will vote. The process will operate in the same manner as tonight's straw poll vote. Once the vote is complete, the newly voted chairman will begin selection of subcommittee chairs for the 2026 and prepare for the, um, January 27th... In preparation, sorry, should, um, for the January 27th meeting. So members should indicate interest in subcommittees and liaison positions to the incoming chair by January 20th, please. Um, is there any further business in this regard?

▶ 12:15 Speaker 7: Okay. There being no further business, um, this agenda item is complete and the chair will retake the gavel.

▶ 12:21 Speaker 1: Thank you. Congratulations again, and thank you both for being here