HUDSON – Hudson School Committee has a new member.
Steve Sharek was appointed to the Hudson School Committee in a joint meeting of the town’s School Committee and Select Board on July 25.
Sharek will fill the seat previously held by Adam Tracy whose term expires next May.
Sharek was appointed by a 9-1 margin with School Committee Chair Michelle Tousignant Dufour voting for Matthew McDowell over Sharek.
Janet O’Leary was also a candidate for the vacant seat.
This vote followed an interview process where candidates could introduce themselves and answer questions from the School Committee and Select Board.
Sharek said that his entire life has been involved with civic activities and that he enjoys serving the public in government roles.
He said he had previously been a city councilor in New Bedford and a town moderator in Dartmouth. Since moving to Hudson, he has served on the Hudson Historical Commission before joining the Finance Committee in 2018.
Of the three candidates, only Sharek was present at the meeting.
“I’m here to put my name out front and hope that you’ll consider it for School Committee,” Sharek said.
Questions about budget, committee’s role
Sharek noted he has been employed as the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators since 2018.
He said if any issue involving vocational education or the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School arose he would walk out and abstain from voting.
Select Board member Shawn Sadowski asked Sharek what the role of the School Committee is.
Sharek responded that the committee has three responsibilities under the law: to hire, supervise and evaluate a superintendent; to set the school department’s policy and to approve a budget.
“In addition to that, you can shine light as a public official on issues that you see within your general realm of importance that you want to get out before the public,” Sharek said.
Sadowski also asked Sharek about the timeliness of the department’s budget. Sadowski has in the past noted that the School Department’s budget has come in past the January deadline.
Sharek said that bringing the budget in on time would be a priority for him.
“It’s a process, the School Committee adopts a budget, but then it has to be reviewed by other entities and should be able to be reviewed in a timely manner,” Sharek said. “Certainly, the Finance Committee should not get the first look of the budget in May.”
Sadowski also noted that with Sharek’s appointment, there is now an open seat on the town’s Finance Committee, and that anyone interested should submit an interest card.
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