John McKenna
Jul 21, 2022
Bill Davenport, left, Joanne Moore and John Morosani take the oath of office after being elected to the new Region 20 Board of Education on Wednesday.
Litchfield voters, about 350 in all, packed the Litchfield Intermediate School auditorium on Wednesday to elect the final three members of the new Region 20 Board of Education.
Getting the nod from the voters were Bill Davenport, Joanne Moore and John Morosani. They’ll join three representatives from each of the towns of Warren, Morris and Goshen on the 12-person board that will be responsible for creating a new school district that will be known as Region 20 and will feature a grades 9-12 high school and a grades 6-8 middle school. The board will meet for the first time Aug. 1 at the Litchfield Community Center.
Davenport, nominated by state Rep. David T. Wilson, R-Litchfield, led the way with 191 votes. A retired educator who now heads the Litchfield County 4-H program, Davenport served as co-chairman of the temporary regional school district study committee that ushered the Region 20 proposal to referendums in the four towns in June. Davenport also served a stint on the state Board of Education.
Moore, nominated by Litchfield Community Center Executive Director Berta Andrulis Mette, earned 156 votes. She retired in June after a 33-year career as a library media specialist in the Litchfield school system, with the last 16 years spent at Center School. An accomplished endurance athlete, Moore put three children through the Litchfield school system and now has grandchildren in the system.
Morosani, nominated by his son, Dan, gained 118 votes. He has served on the Litchfield Board of Education for five years and was part of the temporary regional school district study committee.
Davenport, Moore and Morosani addressed the crowd after being nominated and explained their interest in serving on the new school board and why they felt they are qualified.
Davenport, a Litchfield High School graduate, cited his 33 years of experience as a teacher and director in the agriculture science and technology program at Nonnewaug High School and his five years on the state Board of Education as reasons he should be elected.
“My experience will enable me to make a contribution to the Region 20 Board of Education as we create a dynamic and exemplary school system,” Davenport said.
Moore touted her ability as a fair and honest communicator, plus her long career in the school system. She said she looks forward to being respectful of the mission of building a school district with representatives of the three other towns.
Morosani said he’s anxious to continue with the work he has been involved in while serving on the school board and being part of a concerted effort to increase collaboration with the Region 6 Board of Education.
“This will be no small job,” Morosani said of the task of the Region 20 board. “New bylaws, new policy, hiring a superintendent of school, putting an administrative team in place, it’s going to be a lot of work.”
Other nominees were school board members Tim Breslin and Steve Malo, town facilities review committee Chairman Sam Olmstead and Margaret Hunt, who served on the temporary regional school district study committee. They had a chance to speak too before the vote. Breslin gained 103 votes, Malo 95 votes, Olmstead 43 votes and Hunt 19 votes.