By Paul Leighton Staff Writer Dec 21, 2020
Dec 21, 2020
BEVERLY â The last time a local city council met to fill a vacancy on its own board, the meeting lasted past 2 a.m.Â
In 2013, the Salem City Council took 300 votes without reaching a consensus before finally choosing a winner at a followup meeting the next week.
The Beverly City Council is hoping to avoid the same fate on Monday night but is facing a similar scenario as it considers nine candidates to replace Ward 6 City Councilor John Frates.
Frates will step down on Dec. 31 because he is moving to another ward in the city. Because there is one year left on his two-year term, the remaining eight city councilors are charged with choosing a replacement.
BEVERLY A new face will be joining the Beverly School Committee in 2021.
Kenann McKenzie was appointed to the position on Thursday evening during a joint meeting of the Beverly City Council and Beverly School Committee. Beginning Jan. 1, she will finish out the term of Kelley Ferretti, who officially resigned from her Ward 2 seat last month.
McKenzie holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, a master’s from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. from Columbia University and has over 20 years of professional experience in education and non-profit settings.
“I’ve rolled up my sleeves wherever I’ve lived just as a compulsion,” she said. “I was in Brookline for several years before coming to Beverly. I volunteered with their school committee and I particularly had a baptism by fire during this remote learning experience in the beginning of that process.”
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BEVERLY â Kenann McKenzie will represent Ward 2 on the School Committee after the City Council and the School Committee unanimously voted for her during a rare joint meeting on Thursday night.
McKenzie, who lives on Webber Avenue, will take over the seat which is opening up due to the upcoming resignation of current School Committee Member Kelley Feretti on Jan. 1.
Ferretti announced in September that she would step down due to a lack of respect and professionalism on the School Committee.
During a presentation given before the vote, McKenzie said if she were chosen to serve on the school committee, she would work to create an equitable environment for all students.
By Paul Leighton Staff Writer Dec 16, 2020
Dec 16, 2020
BEVERLY â Three people have expressed interest in filling the Ward 2 School Committee seat that will become open due to an upcoming resignation.
Georgia Bills, William Karvouniaris and Kenann McKenzie have notified the School Committee that they would like to be considered for the seat. The School Committee and the City Council are scheduled to select a successor at a rare joint meeting Thursday night.
The Ward 2 position will become vacant with the resignation on Dec. 31 of Kelley Ferretti, who announced in September that she would step down due to a lack of respect and professionalism on the School Committee.Â