By SANDY McGEE

CUMBERLAND — Town residents may see a new School Committee vice chairman as of tonight, only a few months prior to the general election.

Donald J. Costa of 23 Ohio Ave. is expected to resign for unknown reasons as vice chairman of the Cumberland School Committee at the next meeting to be held at 7:30 p.m. at Cumberland High School. He will still remain an elected member of the board, according to officials.
Items listed on the meeting’s agenda include the “resignation of vice chairperson/reconsideration of vote for vice chairperson.” Also listed, as the next item on the same agenda, is the “election of vice chairperson.”
The reason for the resignation is unknown at this time. Costa could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
It is unknown which member of the School Committee will volunteer for the vacated position.
Costa was elected to the post of vice chairman this past October, when veteran School Committee member Robert C. Thibodeau stepped down from the board’s second-in-command position.
The seven-member board voted 5-1, with opposition from member Earl T. Wood, to approve Costa as second in charge of the board. Costa abstained from voting for himself.
The town’s Board of Canvassers confirmed on Wednesday that Costa is still in the running for the District 3 seat on the School Committee. Costa is running for re-election against John V. Gibbons of 54 High Ridge Drive.
Also running are Thibodeau and fellow incumbent Lisa A. Beaulieu of 196 Hines Road, who are campaigning against Paul DiModica of 15 Sharon Drive and Ryan William Pearson, 200 Manville Hill Road, for the two available at-large seats on the School Committee.
Incumbent W. David Wagner of 37 North Garden St. is running for re-election against opponent Daniel L. Pedro of 790 High St. for District 2, while incumbent Earl T. Wood of 48 Farm Drive is unopposed for District 5.
Not running is Frederic C. Crowley, who reportedly abstained from this election in order to support his wife, Rosa Quinonez Crowley, who is the sole candidate for District 1.
Karen MacBeth of 75 Newell Drive is also not running for a seat on the School Committee, but instead running for Rick Singleton’s former seat on the House of Representatives. Her opponents for the District 52 spot are Kevin F. Crawley of 2 Michael Mark Lane; James E. Scullin, 85 Carlson Drive; and Patrick J. Sullivan of 11 Hunter Drive.
Campaigning for the District 4 seat on the School Committee left vacant by MacBeth are Brian J. Kelly of 8 Hayfield Lane and Richard S. Hilton Jr. of 9 Austin Drive.