Farmington Republicans Appoint Blore – Lowest Vote-Getter from BOE Recount – to School Board

At a rescheduled Board of Education meeting Monday delayed a week due to inclement weather, the school board welcomed new and returning incumbent board members as their terms start in the New Year. 

Incumbents Bill Beckert (D), Ellen Siuta (D) and Paula O'Brien (D) were elected in November to return for another term. Shawn Curtis (R) and William Baker (R) join the school board as newly elected officials. 

The Hartford Courant reported that Mary Grace Reed (D), whose term did not expire in 2013, was reappointed as board chairwoman at the meeting despite dissenting votes from three Republicans. Betsy Kaplan (D) will continue in her role as vice chair, the newspaper reported. 

There is one more new face on the board this year by way of appointment and that is Mark Blore. He will complete Meredith Trimble's unfinished term. Trimble stepped down from the board because she was elected to the Town Council to represent Farmington's second district. 

Blore ran for the school board in the fall, but lost in a tight race that required a recount for the Board of Education. Before the recount, Blore tailed fellow Republican Curtis by one vote and Curtis was 11 votes from Democratic incumbent opponent Beckert.

The tight margin led to a required recount that showed Curtis and Beckert actually tied at 2,417, a mere three votes higher than Blore, who had 2,414. Incumbent Democrat Ellen Siuta (2,613) got the most votes, followed by William Baker (2,568) and fellow incumbent Democrat Paula O'Brien (2,485).

Republican Town Committee Chairman Michael Clark said that the committee unanimously endorsed Blore for the empty seat. 

"Mark Blore will be an outstanding addition to the Board of Education," Clark wrote in an email to Patch. "He  brings a wealth of business experience to the board from his full time position with the Hartford Insurance Company."

Clark also touted Blore's community involvement.

"Mark also brings tremendous connections to the community," Clark said. "He has two sons who are enrolled in the Farmington Public Schools. He is an active leader with the Cub Scouts and is a member of the Farmington Exchange Club.  Mark's wife Kristen is employed as a public school teacher. For all of these reasons, the Farmington Republican Town Committee unanimously endorsed Mark to be appointed to the open seat on the BOE."