Board fills vacant seat
Seven weeks after Andrew Kefer announced his intention to resign from the Pottstown School Board, his seat has been filled by Susan Lawrence.
Lawrence was chosen by a 5-1 vote of the school board Monday night.
The other applicant, former board member Bonita Barnhill, won the support of board member Ron Williams.
Board member Polly Weand was absent and board member Emanuel Wilkerson abstained, saying that because he had not been at the meeting where Lawrence was interviewed, he did not feel he should vote.
However two other board members who were not at the Oct. 13 meeting where Barnhill was interviewed — Williams and Amy Francis — felt no such restriction.
The board also acted to fill another vacancy created by Kefer’s departure, that of board vice president, a post he held at the time of his resignation.
Only one board member was nominated for the post — Francis — and her election to the post was unanimous.
Lawrence has lived her entire life in Pottstown, except for her years in college. She graduated from Pottstown in 1978 as valedictorian and teaches psychology at her alma mater, Ursinus College, as well as at Montgomery County Community College.
She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in educational psychology with a focus on neuropsychology.
Lawrence is also assistant child care director at the YMCA.
Board members said they appreciated both candidates applying — there was a third — Marissa Bush — but she was disqualified because she has not lived in Pottstown long enough to meet the legal requirements to serve.
Most board members cited Lawrence’s involvement in education as their primary reason for selecting her, and board member Kurt Heidel urged Barnhill to stay involved and consider running in the next primary.
As solicitor Stephen Kalis explained earlier, Lawrence will serve until the board reorganizes in December of 2017.
After that, the seat will be considered open and the two years remaining on Kefer’s term will be filled by whomever wins the spring 2017 primary and fall 2017 election.
The person winning that election will serve until December 2019.