Kate Merrill was appointed Thursday to fill West Gardiner’s vacant seat on the Gardiner-area school board.

The decision, which was made following a heated meeting of the West Gardiner Board of Selectmen, came after several weeks of uncertainty about whether one candidate would be considered at all and whether the other candidate would be eligible to serve on the board.

Merrill will start in the role as soon as she is sworn in. She said she wants to help the board work together and unify in a way so they operate as a whole, rather than individually for each town. 

“I grew up here, I have girls in the district. I support public education and that its value is extremely important to rural communities. I believe in the safety of all children. The safety of one child is often dependent on the safety of all children,” she said.

Following the resignation of Sean Focht from the Maine School Administrative District 11 board of directors in July, Merrill and Ervin Morrison II both expressed interest in filling the vacancy.

Without any criteria set for how to choose Focht’s successor, the three-member Board of Selectmen opted to conduct interviews of both candidates behind closed doors last week.

Initially, it was not clear that Merrill would be considered. She had indicated her interest to elected officials and submitted a letter of interest, but could not get a clear answer from the selectmen. West Gardiner town clerk Angela Phillis said that Morrison did not submit a letter.

On Thursday, however, Merrill opted to be interviewed in public, while Morrison’s interview happened out of the public’s view.

Selectmen said they asked both candidates the same questions.

Following Morrison’s interview, elected officials found that he lives with a Gardiner-area school district employee, which disqualifies him from taking on the role.

However, Morrison does not believe he fits the definition of having a domestic partner.

“Just so everyone knows, I was asked in my interview if I have a domestic partner,” he said. “I thought by what my definition of it is, so I answered truthfully and said ‘Yes.’ But, I read the definition of a domestic partner and I don’t have one. It says it’s someone you share your domestic life with like they are married and I do not do that.”

After it was announced that Morrison could no longer be considered for the role, members of the public asked the board to appoint Merrill.

For her part, Merrill asked the board about its hesitation in appointing her. 

The town received nearly 40 emails, most of which were in support of Merrill, but Couture and Selectman Gary Hickey II remained concerned over Merrill’s social media posts.

“I have nothing against you, Kate. My issue is with your social media posting,” Couture said. “If you are going to be working on boards, for kids and people from other communities, you have to be of a demeanor where you won’t say bad things about members of the board.”

Merrill’s specific social media posts were not brought up, but were described as “leftist” by the selectmen.

Some residents at the Aug. 28 Board of Selectmen meeting had called attention to a social media post that Morrison made that was characterized as anti-LGBTQ, but it was not mentioned Thursday.

Morrison said his posts were copy and pasted, not his own words, and Merrill said that her posts are part of her First Amendment right to self expression. 

Carrie Boudway, a former school board member, was upset with Couture when he announced Thursday that Morrison could not be considered because of the nepotism policy violation. She said she went to the town office to tell the clerks about the violation long before Thursday’s meeting, and she had asked Morrison at the Aug. 28 meeting about his partner. At that time, Morrison said they have lived together for seven years.

Boudway said a policy violation of that nature could create a conflict of interest when it comes to contract negotiations.