GLOVERSVILLE - Almost a year after the city school district learned it would lose its superintendent to Johnstown, the Board of Education is poised to select his replacement.
The district on Friday announced superintendents in two smaller school districts are finalists for the position: Michael Vanyo of the Liberty Central School District in Sullivan County and Christine Crowley of the Duanesburg Central School District in Schenectady County.
Both candidates will meet with committees of school employees and district officials next week before the Board of Education makes its selection and begins negotiations.
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Board President Pete Semione said an announcement could be made in time for the board's June 18 meeting, and the new superintendent would begin work before the 2012-13 school year starts.
"It's going to be a tough call because they're all very, very close," he said Friday.
Vanyo has been superintendent in Liberty, a 1,500-student school district in Sullivan County, since 2007, according to a news release. He also was a business administrator at Liberty, as well as in the Hoosic Valley and Lake George school districts.
Crowley has led the 900-students Duanesburg district since 2007, after serving as high school principal at Northeastern Clinton Central School in Champlain, according to the release.
Since Robert DeLiili left Gloversville in August for the same job in Johnstown, the district has been led by retired Galway Superintendent Clifford Moses.
Moses led the district's search, recruiting colleagues from around the state, after an initial search using Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Board of Cooperative Educational Services didn't yield any candidates that had led a school district.
"The process was much more streamlined this time," Semione said. "We had candidates we knew were interested and good fits right from the start."
After its initial search, the board selected Monticello assistant Superintendent Kenneth Newman for the position in January, but an offer was withdrawn in February because of issues concerning his residency. Moses' search yielded four candidates, including three current superintendents.
"I think when the first negotiation got bogged down, we were left with a sour taste, but the energy came right back with these four candidates," Semione said.
The district will not require its next superintendent to live within the BOCES district, "although it's preferred," Semione said. Both finalists now live about 30 miles from Gloversville, with Crowley in Delanson and Vanyo in Saratoga Springs, about 130 miles from his current district.
The salary range for the position initially was advertised at $125,000 to $140,000, but Semione said the top end of the range wasn't firmly set for this search.
"We know that because all of them are sitting superintendents, it would have to be more," he said.
Crowley earned $128,000 during the 2011 calendar year, according to the New York Center for Empire Policy, which tracks public salaries. Vanyo earned $169,700 in 2011. DeLilli was due to earn $128,000 for the 2011-12 school year.
"Obviously, salary is a consideration, but we're going to go on what the board feels is the best fit for Gloversville," Semione said. "We know the general [financial] area we're in, and so do the candidates."
City Editor Bill Pitcher can be contacted via email at news@leaderherald.com.