Carl Gilpatrick – who previously served a three-year term on the Cornwall Central School District Board of Education, was re-elected to a one-year term last May, but left the board due to family issues – has been reappointed to fill the seat he vacated.

The board unanimously appointed him to sit on the board until May 18 at its meeting on September 8. When Gilpatrick left the board in July, it was just prior to his wife’s passing. “He made the decision to leave the seat under extreme duress,” Board Member Brendan Carty noted, “any rational, caring person would have made the same decision. It is still his seat; only he can decide if he is ready to come back, and if he is, he could be ready to go for our next meeting.”

But in fact, Gilpatrick was ready to go that very meeting, and, after the brief discussion and vote by the board, he was sworn into to the seat by District Clerk John Fink.

Board Vice President Jim Creagan also called the seat “his to fill”.

“He won it. He’s been on the board continuously – we won’t have to get him up to speed, he can just jump right into the role. It makes almost too much sense.”

Diaz asked for a motion to appoint him, noting the technicality that because it is an appointment he can only serve until midnight the night before the next board trustee vote (May 18).