PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend School Board is seeking a replacement for Holley Carlson, former board chair, who resigned earlier this month.
The four-member board will be chaired by Pam Daly for the remainder of the year, the board decided Monday night.
The district is required to fill the vacancy by Sept. 5, 90 days after Carlson’s June 7 resignation.
Carlson, 51, said in her letter that she had used poor judgment during an event on school grounds by participating in a toast with “an incremental amount of alcohol” May 29 at the end of an eighth-grade dinner-dance she helped chaperone.
No children were present when adults toasted “a job well done,” she said, but the toast with alcohol violated the school district’s zero-tolerance policy concerning drugs and alcohol.
David Engle, the district’s superintendent, said the position will be advertised immediately with interviews likely to take place in August.
The interviews will be conducted by the remaining members of the board in a public format.
The appointee will fill the remainder of Carlson’s term, which expires in January 2018.
She was first elected in 2009 and re-elected in 2013, both times without opposition.
Each school board member represents a specific geographical district.
Applicants for Carlson’s seat must reside in that district, which is centrally located and bordered by McPherson Street, Discovery Road, 19th St, Blaine Street and the city limits.
For the specific boundaries go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Boundary.
Board member Jennifer James Wilson said she did not expect any difficulty recruiting a replacement since several candidates had applied for two recent vacancies created by board resignations.
The two new board members, Nathanael O’Hara and Keith White “have done a really great job,” she said.
“We’ve had good people step forward,” she said.
Both O’Hara and White are unopposed on the November ballot. Each will receive a four year term by acclamation.
Daly declined to seek re-election this year. The sole candidate who filed for her seat, Laura Tucker, who take office by acclamation.
For information and applications, call 360-379-4501.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
