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F our seats up for election on the Granville Board of Education, and those interested in the seats must file candidacy papers with 25 signatures by 5 p.m., Monday, April 16. Three of the four board members whose seats are up for re-election said Monday they will not be running for another term.
The elections will take place May 15, the same day residents vote on the 2012-2013 school budget. Candidate packets must be turned in to the superintendent’s office.
Each year, there are three seats up for election, and the fourth this year is the one now held by Molly Biggs-Celani, who was appointed to her seat after board member John Steves stepped down to become the district’s director of transportation.
The other three seats open are those held by John McDermott, Dee Bergeron and Kelly Hoard.
McDermott, who is finishing his first term, said he “would be honored” to serve again and will be running.
Biggs-Celani said Monday that at this time she is not planning on running but has not made a final decision. She is recovering from shoulder surgery. Celani, who moved to the area after retiring from an education career, served on the board from 2004-2007. She did not run for another term then because her husband was ill. She said that would be a second factor in her deciding not to run again.
Hoard, who has been on the board for nine years, and Bergeron, who has been on the board six years, both said they will not be running again.
Kathy Nelson is the board chairman and Eric Scribner is vice chairman. Other members whose terms do not expire this year are John Shaw, Kevin Ely and Suzanne McEachron.
Superintendent Mark Bessen said the top three candidates in the election will be serving three-year terms. The person who finishes fourth will finish the Steves/Biggs-Celani term, which ends next year. Oddly, that person begins serving the day after the election, while the other three will begin July 1.
“I hope we can some people who understand what a serious commitment being a school board member is,” Bessen said. “There is a lot to it beyond the two meetings a week.”
According to district officials, three people have taken out nomination packets so far.
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