A lack of interest in two empty Haines School Board seats is prompting the board to seriously consider changing from a seven-person to a five-person body.
No one has turned in a letter of interest for two vacant school board seats.
The seven-person board currently has one member serving whose term expired and one unoccupied seat.
Brenda Josephson decided not to run for re-election to the school board in October. But since no seventh candidate ran, Borough Clerk Julie Cozzi said Josephson could continue serving until a successor is sworn in.
Josephson says she’ll continue to serve until the school district finds someone to fill the seat, but she is not planning on turning in a letter of interest.
School Board member Scott Doddridge resigned from his seat recently — a year before his term expired — leaving another open seat.
The current deadline for letters of interest is November 25th. If no one turns in an application, the school district will probably extend the deadline again.
People’s lack of interest in running for school board is not new to Haines. It’s been a struggle to fill all the seats in recent elections.
The school board has discussed the possibility to changing to a five-person body in past years. This year, they may take more official action on it.
School board President Anne Marie Palmieri says at their December meeting, the board will vote on a resolution to send the proposal for a five-person board to the Haines Borough Assembly.
Changing the school board from seven to five people requires an amendment to the town’s Charter. If the Borough Assembly were to approve the proposal, it would then go to a public vote in next October’s municipal election.
