N. Stonington selectman quits party in dispute over board vacancy

North Stonington - Selectman Leroy "Bill" Briscoe left the Democratic Party Friday and has registered as "unaffiliated" after he says the Democratic Town Committee flouted the traditional process of filling a vacant seat on the Board of Education.

The school board was expected on Wednesday to fill the vacancy left by Republican Cres Secchiaroli when he resigned from the board in April.

The Republican Town Committee chose candidate Edmund Scarchilli to fill the seat, while the DTC recommended Walter Mathwich, who is unaffiliated.

Because there can be no more than 50 percent of one party on the board and four members are registered Democrats, the DTC could not put forth another Democrat.

DTC bylaws also allow it to put forward an unaffiliated person for a vacancy, but the bylaws of the Republican Town Committee do not.

"There's no law against what the DTC did. What they did do was violate the spirit and the root stability of how politics in this town go about governing here," Briscoe said.

Briscoe questioned the Democrats' protocol at Wednesday's Board of Education meeting, angry that the DTC was "trying to fill a vacant seat that was not theirs to fill."

"We extend the courtesy to the other (town committee) to make their appointment and not challenge it," Briscoe said. "It's a longstanding courtesy we've always had here."

In an e-mail before Wednesday night's board meeting, Democratic Town Committee Chairwoman Marilyn Mackay explained why the committee chose to put forth Mathwich for the seat.

"There was a sense that Edmund Scarchilli, GOP choice, is too much like (current school board member Bob) Testa - not my opinion but that of others ... " Mackay said in the e-mail.

"The Democratic Town Committee could not put forward another Democrat. As far as I'm concerned, if there's a space open we should be able to fill it with who we think is best," Mackay said.

Mackay said Sunday that Mathwich has the backing of the committee and the committee feels he was an "exemplary choice."

"He has had no experience and has not been on any of the boards or commissions, but he has been on the Ad Hoc School Committee and has attended the BOE meetings regularly. Because of his strong interest, we decided to put him forward," Mackay said.

Mackay said she was not at Wednesday's Board of Education meeting but Briscoe's actions are "completely out of left field."

"This whole thing is so absurd, I couldn't believe it. He made it sound like we were trying to usurp a Republican seat," Mackay said.

Briscoe said his motive was to "try and preserve what I thought was the sanctity of the protocol of the appointment."

Because the school board ultimately did not make a decision on the vacancy, the Board of Selectmen plans to vote on the matter tonight.

j.hanckel@theday.com