Published: June 24, 2009 01:31 am      

CITY OF TONAWANDA: School official leaving post

During a school board meeting full of good-byes, City of Tonawanda district leaders wished departing Assistant Superintendent Peter Michaelsen a fond farewell.

Michaelsen has been with the district for 10 years, far outlasting his peers and eliciting comments from district officials that were at times both humorous and heartfelt. His resignation will be effective Aug. 2, when he departs for a new position with the Copaigue District located on the oceanfront portion of Long Island. Michaelsen, originally from Queens, still has plenty of friends in that area and is hopeful living near the beach will do him some good.

“I wanted to move somewhere my kids will come to visit,” Michaelsen said.

Michaelsen garnered the most praise from board members for his efforts at budget time, working to craft 10 budgets that have been successfully passed by the city’s voters. He turns those reigns over to Joseph Giarrizzo, who served as finance officer for the Niagara Falls school district for nearly seven years prior to his hiring. Giarrizzo will officially begin July 13 at a starting annual salary of $98,000 prorated from July 1.

In addition to Michaelsen, the board said farewell to board trustees Anthony Melchiorre and Klaus Maurer, both of whom decided not to run for re-election to the board this year. The board also honored 16 district retirees.

Another personnel action, the appointment of new boys soccer coach Jim Gabor, created a little tension. Resident Peter Somerville said he didn’t feel former coach Al Zarcone was treated fairly by Athletic Director Dawn Bak, and that it was unfortunate Zarcone wouldn’t be able to see some of the improvements he made to the team come to fruition.

“I think we made a terrible mistake letting him go,” Somerville said.

Another resident, Danielle Opalinski, asked why the long-term planning committee wasn’t slated to begin working until September when some of the members felt it could start sooner. Superintendent Whitney Vantine said he was hopeful the committee’s members would all be selected by July.

“If we start before September, that would be fine by me,” Vantine said.

Contact reporter Daniel Pyeat 693-1000, ext. 158.