The Lafayette School District board announced a vacancy following the resignation of Board Member Mark Kindhouse and is now seeking applicants.
Kindhouse, who was elected to the board last November, submitted his resignation June 29 following a career move, which will take him and his family out of the area.
As a result the school board is seeking candidates for a provisional appointment. Whoever is appointed will fill the seat until the next scheduled election, which is November 2018. Whoever wins then will finish out the term two years at that point.
LAFSD Board President David Gerson explained that the board had the option to fill the vacant seat by either appointment or a special election. Had they decided to hold a special election, the winner then would have completed the remainder of the term, ending in December 2020.
However Gerson said that the board decided on the appointment process in large part due to the cost of holding a special election as well as timing.
The appointment process is at no cost to the district and we will have a full five-person board in August versus holding a special election, which is expensive and would require several more months before we would have a new board member seated.
Gerson added, We are confident that we will have at least one qualified candidate apply for the position in the appointment process.
The board will interview candidates at a public meeting to be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 16. If one or more candidates receive a nomination from a board member there will be a vote. A person receiving the majority of the votes will be immediately sworn in as a board member.
The LAFSD board oversees the four elementary schools in Lafayette as well as Stanley Middle School but does not include Acalanes High School.
Qualified residents can find further details and the application form on the Lafayette School District website at www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/ by following the link under announcements on the home page.
Kindhouse reflects, In my limited time on the board, I am extremely proud of my work in participating in the design approval for the new Stanley campus buildings, purchasing the Old Lafayette Library, making thoughtful, difficult, but required cuts to reduce district expenses, continuing the Child Abuse Prevention Council's programming efforts, getting to know and better understand the needs of the special education community, reviewing the district's strategic plan and approving the Local Control and Accountability Plan.
Mark was a welcome addition to the board, says Gerson. We will miss his thoughtfulness and his collaborative approach to addressing the issues of the day. We wish him great success in his new position and with this move to southern California.
Kindhouse, who was elected to the board last November, submitted his resignation June 29 following a career move, which will take him and his family out of the area.
As a result the school board is seeking candidates for a provisional appointment. Whoever is appointed will fill the seat until the next scheduled election, which is November 2018. Whoever wins then will finish out the term two years at that point.
LAFSD Board President David Gerson explained that the board had the option to fill the vacant seat by either appointment or a special election. Had they decided to hold a special election, the winner then would have completed the remainder of the term, ending in December 2020.
However Gerson said that the board decided on the appointment process in large part due to the cost of holding a special election as well as timing.
The appointment process is at no cost to the district and we will have a full five-person board in August versus holding a special election, which is expensive and would require several more months before we would have a new board member seated.
Gerson added, We are confident that we will have at least one qualified candidate apply for the position in the appointment process.
The board will interview candidates at a public meeting to be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 16. If one or more candidates receive a nomination from a board member there will be a vote. A person receiving the majority of the votes will be immediately sworn in as a board member.
The LAFSD board oversees the four elementary schools in Lafayette as well as Stanley Middle School but does not include Acalanes High School.
Qualified residents can find further details and the application form on the Lafayette School District website at www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/ by following the link under announcements on the home page.
Kindhouse reflects, In my limited time on the board, I am extremely proud of my work in participating in the design approval for the new Stanley campus buildings, purchasing the Old Lafayette Library, making thoughtful, difficult, but required cuts to reduce district expenses, continuing the Child Abuse Prevention Council's programming efforts, getting to know and better understand the needs of the special education community, reviewing the district's strategic plan and approving the Local Control and Accountability Plan.
Mark was a welcome addition to the board, says Gerson. We will miss his thoughtfulness and his collaborative approach to addressing the issues of the day. We wish him great success in his new position and with this move to southern California.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA