The Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission has issued a preliminary ruling that Democratic members of the Greenwich Board of Education violated state law when they convened an emergency meeting on October 21, 2024, to appoint a new board member.
The proposed decision—released today—finds that the meeting was improperly called, lacked sufficient public notice, and included inaccurate minutes. Most significantly, the ruling declares that the meeting is “null and void” and that the Democratic members “did not act in good faith” in carrying out the appointment.
The ruling will go before the full Commission for a formal vote at its next regular meeting on October 20, 2025.
This preliminary finding marks a major development in the year-long dispute over Board appointments and governance. First Selectman Fred Camillo, who challenged the legality of the meeting last year, said the town “stood up for the rule of law and transparency.”
The controversy stems from the October 21, 2024 appointment of Jennifer Behette by Democrats to fill a Republican seat vacated in July 2024. The Board had failed to reach a bipartisan consensus within 30 days, which under state law would have transferred appointment authority to the Board of Selectmen.
Instead, the four Democratic BOE members convened a meeting—with notice time-stamped just 9 minutes prior—and voted to install Behette. Republicans, including First Selectman Fred Camillo, denounced the move as an illegal power grab.
“This was a year of turmoil that was totally unnecessary,” Camillo told the Sentinel in an interview following the ruling. “Twice I offered them a compromise. They rejected both and doubled down. They broke the law, and the Commission confirmed it.”
📩 Stay tuned: A full report with in-depth analysis, direct quotes, and potential legal implications will be published this weekend in a Sentinel special release story.
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