NORWICH – After standing vacant for more than two and a half months, the seventh seat on the Norwich City School board of education has been filled.

Norwich resident Perry Owen was appointed to fill the vacancy during a special meeting of the school board Thursday night in what was the board’s last opportunity to fill the vacancy themselves before BOCES District Superintendent Alan Pole intervened.

“My understanding of the law is that the vacancy has to be filled within 90 days from the effective date of the resignation,” said Pole. The district superintendent, who oversees the 16 schools within the DCMO BOCES supervisory area, stated he had encouraged the board on several occasions to fill the vacancy on their own.

In a letter dated July 30, Pole asked the board of education to answer several questions. The special meeting was called to give the board the opportunity to address these concerns.

The board had a total of three options available to fill the seat. They could appoint someone to fill the position or hold a special election. Failing those two, the final option was to have the seat filled by an appointment made by Pole.

The board had tried, and failed, on several occasions to fill the seat by appointment. Although a number of candidates stepped forward to fill the opening created by the resignation of board member Bill Winans, the board had been unable to reach a decision by majority vote.