Applicants lined up for Cloverdale School Board

Monday, May 8, 2006

By JASON MOON

Assistant Editor

It's been 28 days since Barb Petro's resignation from the Cloverdale Community School Corporation School Board was announced and CCSC Supt. Carrie Milner said progress on finding a replacement has been made.

On Monday, Milner told the BannerGraphic Petro attended the corporation's retirement dinner Sunday, and she looked to be improving after suffering a stroke recently.

"She's good," Milner said of Petro. "I'm just thrilled to see her doing well."

According to Milner, eight people have expressed interest in the position vacated by Petro, who's resignation became effective today.

Milner said the school board has 30 days beginning today to make a decision on who will replace Petro, who had been on the CCSC School Board since July 7, 1987, making her the longest-tenured board member in the corporation.

"We need to give all these folks an opportunity to be heard," Milner said. "The board will determine the best applicant."

Milner said having eight people express interest in the position is a blessing.

"There have been some years where we've had one or two, and some years where we've had none," Milner said. "But it's nice to see this kind of interest."

Petro informed the remaining school board members at their regular monthly meeting on April 10 via letter that she was resigning from her position as board member.

At the April meeting, Milner told the audience and board members the position, through Cloverdale Township, was to be posted through April 18. She asked all those who were interested in the position to send letters to the corporation office and added the position would be temporary for one year, as a newly-elected person would join the board beginning July 2007. She said the new board member could be appointed as early as June.

Milner said that still is a possibility, but recognized May is a busy month. She said the corporation hoped to find a day during May to interview all eight candidates.

"I think it's likely," she said. "We need to move on this. We've got the interested folks."

CCSC board members include President Linda Mann, Vice President Pamelia Hepfer, Todd Whitlock, David Brinkman, Jim Sharp and Bobbi Nees. Sharp is currently the longest-tenured board member, having started serving on July 12, 1999.

Mann began her sixth year of service earlier this year while Nees has been on the board since July 9, 2001. Hepfer has been on the board since Feb. 9, 2004 while Whitlock and Brinkman both have less than one year of service on the board.

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