Trustee Donna Carano’s unexpected resignation from the Portola Valley School District Board last week has added another dimension to the Nov. 6 school board election and new issues for the school board.
Trustees have scheduled a special board meeting for Thursday, Oct. 25, at 8:15 a.m. to decide what option to pursue to fill the remainder of Ms. Carano’s term, which expires in December 2009. The board meeting is open to the public and will be held in room 1001at Corte Madera School.
Meanwhile, in the Nov. 6 election, voters will elect two of the three candidates: Brad Turner, Steve Humphreys and Judith Ann Mendelsohn. (See election story, Page 16.)
Superintendent Anne Campbell said trustees have two options: Call for a special election or make a provisional appointment to fill the vacancy.
The law requires trustees to act within 60 days of the resignation — by Dec. 17 — or the decision will be made by the San Mateo County superintendent of schools.
If the trustees decide to call for a special election to fill the vacancy, an election cannot be held for at least 130 days from the time the decision is made.
The other option is for trustees to make a provisional appointment, which also must be done within 60 days of Ms. Carano’s resignation.
Another wrinkle: Who makes the appointment — the current trustees or the new board constituted after the Nov. 6 election?
Another twist is that board member Karen Jordan, who earlier decided not to seek re-election next month to another four-year term, recused herself from the board’s Oct. 17 discussion of Ms. Carano’s resignation, and took a seat in the audience. She said she has a personal interest in the outcome of the board’s decision and is considering being a candidate for the provisional appointment.
If trustees decide that the current board will make the appointment, only three trustees — Teresa Godfrey, Ray Villareal and Don Collat — would vote. (Trustees Godfrey’s and Jordan’s terms end Dec. 7.)
If they decide that the new board should make the appointment, the two trustees elected Nov. 6 would vote along with trustees Collat and Villareal.
In the past, when trustees filled a vacant seat on the board, the procedure was to announce the opening, interview candidates during a public session and make a decision.
