- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Lakeport Unified to accept applications to fill vacant board seat
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Unified School District Board of Trustees on Thursday decided to seek applications from the community in order to fill a vacancy resulting from a board member's resignation.
During the half-hour-long special meeting, board members Dennis Darling, Lori Holmes and Phil Kirby voted to seek out interested community members rather than spend thousands of dollars on a special election to decide the successor for board member Wally Cox. Board member Tom Powers was absent.
Cox submitted a brief, one-sentence letter to Superintendent Erin Smith-Hagberg on March 17, saying his resignation was effective that same day. As a result, he was not at the Thursday meeting.
District officials said Cox cited personal reasons for the decision to resign.
Smith-Hagberg said that, according to state education code, the district has 60 days to fill Cox's seat, which gives them a May 17 deadline. Cox's term runs through December 2015.
The district's two options were a provisional appointment and a special election, she explained.
In the case of the provisional appointment, “You have to follow several steps,” Smith-Hagberg said.
The steps include advertising the open position in the local media; convening a committee of two board members – it's required that the committee number less than the board majority – to review qualifications; hold interviews of applicants; appoint a new board member by a majority vote; and post notices in the local newspaper and a public place that the vacancy has been filled.
Smith-Hagberg did not have a specific estimate on how much an election could cost, but noted that the last school board election cost $16,000.
“The provisional (election) seems more cost-effective and more timely,” Holmes noted.
Kirby added that the district can find out immediately if there is interest in the position, rather than waiting for an election.
“The practical part of it would be to advertise, to call out, and to see what kind of a response we get,” he said.
Darling said he shared Kirby's opinion.
He said that, generally, he advocates for allowing constituents to decide, but based on past elections there has not been a lot of interest in the board seats.
“Sixteen thousand bucks is a lot of money,” Darling said.
Smith-Hagberg said she wasn't sure that was the accurate amount for what a special election would cost.
“It's a lot. It's going to be a lot,” he said.
Darling moved to go forward with the provisional appointment process, with Holmes seconding. The vote was 3-0.
The board also set the timetable for the steps to accomplish a provisional appointment.
Resumes from interested community members are due to the district office by April 14.
Smith-Hagberg said the qualifications are that applicants must be registered voters and must live in the school district.
Kirby and Holmes will meet April 17 at the district office to review resumes and the qualifications of applicants.
The board will then conduct public interviews of the applicants at its regular May 8 meeting, at which point they also are expected to choose Cox's successor.
Smith-Hagberg said those interested in applying for the open position can submit resumes in person at the district office, 2508 Howard Ave.; via fax, 707-263-7332; or via email to Janine Smith-Citron, the superintendent's secretary, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information, contact the Lakeport Unified District Office at 707-262-3000.
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