After divisive election, North Merrick candidates seek to move on

For the second straight year, the North Merrick Board of Education election — in which two newcomers, an appointed trustee, a past trustee and the board’s president faced off — was divisive.

As in the 2018 election, there was accusatory mudslinging among residents and on social media in the days leading up to May 21. Now, with the election over, trustees new and old told the Herald that they want the North Merrick community to move forward. Despite the attacks, they said they hope to see unity in the future.

The vote resulted in something of a shakeup. Jennifer Hyland, the board’s president for the past year, was not re-elected, collecting just 699 votes. Robert Crowley, a newcomer who campaigned on his financial management skills, was elected with 881 votes.

Megan Ryan — who was appointed to the board after longtime Trustee John Pinto resigned following the 2018 election — received the most votes, 1,193.

And Steve Enella, who previously served on the board but was unseated last year, won his seat back with 789 votes.

The election followed the resignation of Wendy Gargiulo as trustee. She left in February after she said she had been harassed by trustees and residents.

Several residents, including Gargiulo at the time, criticized the backing some trustees received from the North Merrick Faculty Association, the district’s teachers union. During the election, the NMFA endorsed Hyland, Gerry Acuña and Ryan. Crowley and Enella did not receive its support.

Others criticized the board’s behavior over the past year. Executive sessions — private discussions among board members during meetings — became increasingly common. At times, residents voicing concerns during public comment periods drummed up heated arguments.

“Disheartening” is how Hyland described some of the language the she saw during the campaign. She said she was the victim of a “witch hunt,” receiving multiple “unjust and unfounded” accusations on social media.

“I hope we heal and move forward,” Hyland said on Monday, “There’s a crux to every election — no matter what happens, everyone needs to move on. Now, it’s time to be positive.”

Ryan said her goal was to return the focus to the children — a sentiment echoed by other candidates. “The heart of the children has been getting lost in the process,” she said. “We all sat on the board for the right reasons — to try to make a better school district. Now we have to work together and go back to the issues.”

Ryan said she hoped to usher in a new, reinvigorated relationship between the board and North Merrick residents.

By July 1, she said, she hoped to schedule two public information sessions, at which people would be able to ask questions and voice concerns.

And she hoped the sessions would bring about more transparency, especially with parents who cannot regularly attend board meetings. Ryan said she also wanted to start livestreaming meetings on the district’s website.

Crowley, a certified public accountant, said he hoped to bring more focus to district spending. “We have to work together to move the district forward from a financial standpoint — reduce spending, and don’t cause big tax increases,” he said.

Crowley was critical of what he saw on Election Day. Near the North Merrick Library, where residents vote, 15 to 20 district teachers, he said, held signs in support of their preferred candidates. Some of the educators live outside the North Merrick area, he added.

Crowley felt uncomfortable, he said, but animosity “needs to be left in the past.” He said he hoped there was less embrace of social media in the future.

Hyland agreed. Reliance on social media creates “controlled messages” in certain groups, she said, and accurate information gets lost in the shuffle.

As for Hyland’s role in the community, she would “absolutely stay involved,” she said. While she will have more time for her friends and family, she planned to remain active in the PTA and her son’s Cub Scout troop.

Enella declined to comment for this article.