Board accepts resignation of Secretary Beth Miller; vacancy process and interview dates set for District 4

The school board on Monday accepted the resignation of board secretary Dr. Beth Miller, who stepped down for health reasons effective March 9. President Galbraith and Superintendent Dr. Visu Cleveland thanked Miller for years of service in higher education and community literacy work.

Under state rules the board has 45 days to appoint a replacement. Staff (Lauren Hatch) presented options — direct appointment, posting and interviewing candidates, or waiting until an election — and recommended issuing a vacancy announcement and accepting applications to ensure transparency.

The board approved a vacancy announcement and materials checklist with these requirements: a letter of interest, details of relevant experience or qualifications, and proof of voter registration showing residency in District 4. The board set a deadline for materials to arrive by noon on March 27 and authorized electronic submissions. Staff will publicly advertise the opening and provide a District 4 boundary map.

Trustees also set a short calendar to complete the appointment within the statutory timeline: a meeting on April 7 to review and "whittle" applicants as needed; interviews on April 8; and deliberation and appointment on April 9, with meetings scheduled to start in the late afternoon to accommodate working applicants and trustees.

At the same meeting, board members nominated and voted to name Rebecca Murray as board secretary; the vote carried 4–0. The board emphasized that interviews and deliberations must be conducted in public meetings per the Open Meetings Act and that staff will prepare an application folder for trustees to review in advance without engaging in discussions outside a noticed public meeting.

Public comment during the meeting included a request from a longtime volunteer, Ken Todd, asking why two donor recognition boards at a baseball stadium have not been reinstalled despite a year‑old work order; facilities staff acknowledged the request and said they would follow up.