The governor’s office appointed two new members to the Harford County Board of Education earlier today, ignoring the recommendations local politicians made Monday night.

Gov. Martin O’Malley chose Alysson Krchnavy, an active PTA member at Hickory Elementary, and Leonard Wheeler, a member of the county’s Democratic Central Committee who sat on the schools’ Ad Hoc Committee on Minority Affairs, to fill two open seats on the seven-member school board.

But just days earlier, a temporary committee of of county and state officials had voted to nominate two completely different candidates — recently retired principal Nancy Reynolds of Bel Air and Mohammed Shahab, who ran vocational programs in Iran and Washington, D.C.

“I believe this decision validates the concerns of the citizens and elected officials trying to get an elected school board,” said County Councilman Richard Slutzky, who chaired the committee interviewing and recommending candidates.

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For the past two years, the county’s representatives in Annapolis have unsuccessfully tried to pass legislation that would convert the state-appointed school board to a one that is partially or completely elected.

“This is the third governor’s administration that has either ignored or disregarded Harford County’s process,” Slutzky said. “We’ve had no effective influence in selecting who represents the people of Harford County.”

The governor’s office could not comment on the appointments until all parties were notified, said spokesman Shaun Adamec.

Board member Salina Williams had been seeking reappointment but received word last Wednesday that she would not get the position. She stepped down Monday night — the same evening she would have assumed the presidency of the board if she had been reappointed.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com