Photo: Ethan Fry Ansonia Board of Education President William Nimons and Vice President Carmen Pitney Dec. 4.
Republican William Nimons, whose party took a majority on the board in last month’s elections, was elected unanimously to the post.
Nimons succeeds John Lawlor, who did not seek re-election last month, as the board’s president.
Fellow incumbents Carmen Pitney and Fran DiGiorgi, both Democrats, were chosen unanimously as the board’s vice president and secretary. Both held identical posts before the election.
Two new members — Republicans Vinnie Scarlata and Aretta Kotalis — joined the board for their first meeting Wednesday.
Nimons, an Air Force veteran who retired from Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan last year, has extensive roots in the Valley and has been active in public service for decades.
In addition to serving on the school board and other commissions, he is a past president of the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club, and has also served in leadership roles at the Valley chapter of the Red Cross and the Housatonic Council of the Boy Scouts.
In 2006, the Valley United Way awarded him with its Charles H. Flynn Humanitarian Award.
He’ll need the experience in a city struggling to expand its tax base and cut costs while supporting public education.
After Thursday’s meeting, he summed up the upcoming budget year for the schools with one word.
“Tough.”
Ansonia’s schools struggle yearly with funding — and voters last month swept Mayor David Cassetti into power along with host of other Republicans who campaigned strongly against rising taxes.
When the city’s schools do take steps forward, often with the help of special-purpose state or federal grants, those programs often face funding shortfalls when the grants expire — or the schools lose funding because student performance improves.
The board’s new president wouldn’t discuss budget details, but said he doesn’t expect the outlook to get much rosier.
“I can’t say too much but it’s going to be tough,” Nimons said. “We’re expecting cuts. I think the city’s expecting cuts from everywhere.”
He said he hopes “to foster a new relationship with the city administration. Our goal is to educate the kids, it’s not to please the adults, and that’s how we’re going to go forward.”
The relationship is already a close one: Nimons was a member of Cassetti’s transition team. On Tuesday he spent hours meeting with the mayor.
Nimons’ three children attended Ansonia High School, each graduating among the top 10 in their class — including one valedictorian.
