HAMDEN -- OK, so what's with Jim Pascarella saying he wanted to retreat back to private life for a while?
He's back in the saddle, though not as much of a time-consuming one.
Pascarella on Thursday night was appointed to Myron Hul's vacancy on the Board of Education.
He had been nominated by the Democratic Town Committee to do so, and the school board picked him over two other unknowns whose resumes they received Thursday night.
Pascarella decided to not to run for the Legislative Council again in November so he could spend more time on his insurance business. As council president, he worked across party lines.
He's joining the school board at just the right time: Tuesday at 6 p.m. begins the board's review of the school superintendent's proposed $81.8 million budget for 2012-13.