The Cazenovia Board of Education last week approved the appointment of Thomas P. Finnerty, director of management and finance for the Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES in Malone, N.Y., to be the new assistant superintendent for the Cazenovia Central School District.

Finnerty will succeed Bill Furlong who resigned in June after 18 years with the Cazenovia district in order to take a new position in the North Colonie Central School District in Latham, N.Y.

Finnerty was selected for the position “from a rich pool of candidates from near and far,” Superintendent Matt Reilly told the school board during a July 17 special meeting. “Tom brings energy, enthusiasm and skills to the position that I think will work well for the district going forward.”

“I think it was a good choice, he is a very enthusiastic, outgoing person,” said BOE President Jan Woodworth, who was part of the interview committee. “I think he is going to be great.”

Finnerty was chosen from an initial field of seven candidates that were culled to a final three by Reilly and OCM BOCES Assistant Superintendent Deborah Ayers. Those three then were interviewed by a committee of constituent groups in what was “a good, long afternoon of intense questioning,” Reilly said.

Finnerty’s salary will be $110,000, His start date in the district was not announced during the board meeting.

The board also approved the appointment of Matthew Erwin, of Jordan-Elbridge, as the new director of facilities for the Cazenovia central School District. Erwin will succeed Dave Hazer, who retired in June after 16 years with the district.

Erwin’s salary will be $72,500. He will start working in the district alongside Hazer in early August, and will take over as director of facilities in September after Hazer’s retirement takes effect, Reilly said.

Also at the meeting, the board:

—Considered but did not approve signing a professional services agreement for athletic training with Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, P.C. for the 2015-16 school year. After concerns voiced by some board members about the proposed contract’s costs, three-year term and language, the board voted to reject the proposal. Reilly said he would continue working on the proposed deal and get all the board members’ questions and concerns addressed.

—Approved, pending review by district attorneys, a service agreement with Kelberman Center for Autism Services for the 2015-16 school year. Members Lou Orbach and Lisa Lounsbury were concerned about the indemnification and insurance aspects of the agreement, after which the board approved an amendment to the contract that those clauses must be reviewed by the district’s legal counsel for the contract to take effect.

—Approved the appointments of athletic coaches and assistant coaches for the fall 2015 season, as well as the resignation of high school English teacher Kris Denton and the position transfer of Kelly Nourse from fifth grade teacher to high school French teacher. Denton resigned to become an assistant principal in the Baldwinsville Central School District, while Nourse, a former French teacher, volunteered to transfer positions.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].