USD 480 School Board Vice-Presidential Stalemate

The USD 480 Board of Education met for a regularly scheduled meeting Monday at the Education Service Center.

It was the first meeting of the new term which featured Nick Hatcher and Reid Petty joining the board and the voting of officers for the 2009-10 term.

Dan Diepenbrock was nominated and elected to serve as President again with a 6-0 vote with Stacy Johnson absent.

Next up were the nominations and vote for Vice-President. This is where things became tricky.

Dr. Jim Jury nominated Reid Petty for Vice-President, however Petty turned around and nominated Cheryl Louderback for Vice-President stating that since he had just joined the board that he’d rather not be in one of the leadership roles right away and that Louderback recieved the next amount of votes after him.

Dan Diepenbrock then nominated Tammy Sutherland-Abbott for the Vice-Presidency.

All three nominations for Petty, Louderback, and Sutherland-Abbott were seconded, but after the vote it was a 2-2-2 deadlock.

A motion was then made by Nick Hatcher to table the choice for Vice-President to the next meeting so absent member Stacy Johnson could have a say. The vote to table the item was then deadlocked at 3-3 as the legality of preceding the meeting without a Vice-President was unknown.

After a little more discussion Petty withdrew his name from consideration to try and help break the tie stating that since he is new to the board it would be best to wait to hold a leadership position.

Petty then re-nominated Louderback for Vice-President, while Diepenbrock re-nominated Sutherland-Abbott. Both received seconds, but after the re-vote there was still no majority of the total board as Louderback received three votes and Sutherland-Abbott received two with Hatcher abstaining.

Diepenbrock then stated that he would switch his vote to tabling the Vice-Presidency to next meeting. The item was then tabled 5-1 with Petty voting against tabling it.

The board also elected the appointments of the Clerk and Assistant Clerk, Board Attorney, Board Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, and the Board Auditor for 2009-10.

Action items that passed 6-0 included the selection of committees, approving the High Plains Daily Leader as the official newspaper of the district, the purchase of a vehicle, the Capital Outlay Resolution, and certified employment and resignations.

The board also approved televising their meetings 5-1, with Nick Hatcher opposing.

The USD 480 Board of Education will meet next on Monday, June 20.