GREAT BEND — The Carthage Central School District Board of Education meeting Monday night started with the resignation of one board member and ended with an apparently illegal executive session and the appointment of two people to vacant board seats.

William J. Sochia, who was elected to the board in May, submitted his resignation Aug. 18, according to a letter board President John E. Peck read at the meeting.

Mr. Peck said Mr. Sochia took a job in Plattsburgh and "deeply regrets" resigning.

This is the second vacated position in three months. Longtime board member Leo J. Keenan Jr. resigned his seat in June, citing personal reasons.

The board interviewed seven candidates for the two open positions in open session after board members said they would do so in an executive session that would have violated the state Open Meetings Law.

The board did go into an executive session, however, to discuss its choices for the seats, which is in violation of the state's Open Meetings Law, according to an advisory opinion offered by Robert J. Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government.

Mr. Freeman cited a decision by the state Supreme Court in Sullivan County in 1994 that says, "Certainly, the matter of replacing elected officials, should be subject to public input and scrutiny."

Mr. Freeman said Monday that because board members are public servants, not employees, they are not offered protection under the law, as are those who are employed in the district.

"The whole process is very public, and it shouldn't be less public just because they don't have to go through an election," Mr. Freeman said.

Mr. Peck said the decision to open the interviews was a "board decision" and that the executive session was being held because the board would be discussing "individuals personally and their qualifications."

After the executive session, the board appointed Lori D. Miller and Terry E. Freeman.

During her interview, Mrs. Miller said she has lived in the district for more than 20 years and has two children in the district. She works at home for a tax accounting firm.

Communication, she said, will be her main priority as a board member.

"There has been a lot of misconception out there, especially with the budget," she said.

Mrs. Miller said she educated herself about the budget with the help of district officials and documents.

"I don't feel the community realized what resources were available to them," she said.

She said she hopes to bring her knowledge of the Internet to the district to help the community stay better connected.

Mrs. Miller ran for the board in 2007, but was defeated.

Mr. Freeman works as the lead guidance counselor for the Watertown City School District.

During his interview, Mr. Freeman said his background in education would assist him in his board member duties.

He said the district "has had a black eye in the community and we need to get the community back."

He said he will help the board disseminate information to the community and will encourage working with neighboring school districts.

The two new board members will be sworn in at the Sept. 8 meeting.

The five other candidates who interviewed for the vacant seats are Denise Larson, Sandy Lamb, Judy A. DeForest, Dennis T. Turpis and Joseph A. Colangelo.