'Suspicious' Balloon Found At Marblehead School Committee Home: Police

MARBLEHEAD, MA — A balloon with markings on it tied to the home of a Marblehead School Committee member's house on the day of what was expected to be a volatile meeting to determine the superintendent's future leading the district is being investigated as a suspicious incident, according to Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King.

King said that the balloon — decorated with two eyes and a mustache — was found on the day of what turned out to be a one-minute meeting Wednesday night that School Committee Chair Sarah Fox said she abruptly adjourned on the advice of counsel.

King did not identify the School Committee member who lives in the home where the balloon was found.

"The incident coincided with the day a School Committee meeting was being held — a meeting which people had strong feelings about," King said in a statement released on Thursday. "Some people have inferred the residence was target as the result of the meeting.

"We have nothing at this time to confirm or deny that. However, we have made contact with the School Committee member, and they were encouraged to report any additional suspicious behavior they observe."

Those with any information on the balloon are asked to contact Marblehead detectives at 781-631-1212.

The Marblehead School Committee has set a Monday morning meeting behind closed doors to discuss the future of Superintendent John Buckey with the district after canceling Wednesday night's open meeting that drew more than 250 viewers to Zoom and lasted less than one minute.

The meeting's agenda states that the School Committee will meet to "conduct strategy sessions in
preparation for negotiation with non-union members (Superintendent)."

The executive session means that the discussions will not be viewable by the public.

The School Committee was to discuss and possibly vote on an "early termination clause" in Buckey's contract on Wednesday before Fox said "a last-minute communication with counsel" advised her to immediately adjourn the meeting one minute after it began.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)