School board will appoint former trustee
Person who replaces Cynthia Graves to serve until next regular election in May.
After nearly 20 minutes of discussion, the Pflugerville school board decided it will appoint a former trustee to serve Cynthia Graves’ remaining term until the next election in May.
The board will consider names of former trustees who are interested in serving in the interim but who have no plans of running during the next election cycle. The decision came after the board nixed an option to hold a special election, citing costs and generally low voter turnout.
“I don’t want a special election because it’s an unnecessary cost on taxpayers,” Trustee Carol Fletcher said. “Holding our own election is somewhere in the $100,000 range. There’s no reason for two elections.”
President Vernagene Mott pointed out special elections traditionally result in about 900 votes. “Voter turnout is usually very, very low,” she said. Trustee Rob Reyes asked whether the special election would come at an additional cost for taxpayers given that it would be held on the same day as the general election. Mott said the elections committee would find out all the necessary information once it comes time to organize the elections.
Per its policy, the Pflugerville school board can appoint a board member or can order a special election if a vacancy occurs due to death, resignation, lack of residency or involuntary removal. Graves submitted her letter of resignation Aug. 18, citing time constraints due to the expansion of her dental practice.
She has served on the board since 2006, including six years as secretary.
The board has until mid-February to fill the vacancy from the date the resignation was accepted.
Graves’ term expires in 2018. To avoid holding two elections in the same year, the trustees will hold a special election for the spot in May 2017, and the individual elected would serve until 2018.
“Ultimately, it would be we, the board, who will decide who that person will be,” Mott said.
Both Reyes and Trustee Renae Mitchell expressed concern about potentially appointing a former trustee who was not re-elected to an additional term. However, the board agreed to discuss the matter further in closed session at a future meeting.
Trustees were also concerned about the appointee showing no interest in running in the election, only to change their mind later, given them an unfair advantage over other candidates.
“If they publicly say, ‘I’m not interested in running,’ and then they run, that would look bad,” Fletcher said.
After an amendment was made to Mitchell’s motion, the trustees voted 5-1 to appoint a former trustee interested in serving in the interim. Reyes cast the lone dissenting vote.