Marblehead super now head of school security committee

MARBLEHEAD – The six-year-old School Security Subcommittee, where school and public safety officials plan security measures together, has a new boss.School Committee members voted unanimously Thursday evening to change the panel from a School Committee subcommittee to an operational committee working under Superintendent of Schools Greg Maass.The low-profile committee, chaired by Fire Chief Jason Gilliland, has made a number of improvements to school buildings but generated some controversy last month when it obtained a grant to purchase security cameras for Marblehead High.The proposal took some people by surprise and according to School Committee member Thomas Connolly, it raised questions about the School Committee.?This seems to have been done under the wire,” he told his colleagues Thursday. “I know it did not happen that way, but transparency is a bell we ring and ring.”Connolly supported the subcommittee change. Maass told the School Committee, “The committee reports to me and I report to you.”When Connolly tried to get a sense of the School Committee on the installation of security cameras, committee Chairman Eurim Chun first moved his motion to the new business section of the agenda and then ruled it out of order until the committee discusses a new school security policy in two weeks.?What you?re suggesting is part of that policy,” she said.Connolly pressed his colleagues, stating that he wanted opinions, not action, but Dick Nohelty and Kathleen Leonardson both said they wanted to hear more information and more discussion before taking a stand on part of the policy.Nohelty chided Connolly about taking his cue for the motion from “the man in the street.”?That?s no way to be a board member,” he said.?I?m not afraid of the man in the street. I?m listening to them,” Connolly said.Jonathan Lederman, who serves on the Security Committee, told Connolly, “I imagine you are not supportive of (security cameras in schools) and you want to get that message out to the community. You?ve done that.”Maass pointed out that security cameras are already in use in other school buildings in town as well as high schools in Swampscott, Salem, Beverly and Danvers. He also told the committee that he explains the need for security cameras “everywhere I go, whether people ask about it or not, and they understand.”