Interim board appoints trustee

But fate of other positions still unclear after all quit because of hot-mic moment

One almost down and four to go.

An interim Oakley school board tentatively decided Thursday to appoint someone to replace a trustee who resigned earlier this year, but it still must figure out what to do with the seats vacated by four others last week in the fallout from an embarrassing hot-microphne moment.

That decision may come Wednesday, when the interim board discusses whether it’s better to appoint four new trustees or conduct a special election so voters can pick.

The vacant seat it agreed to fill with an appointee belonged to Larry Polk, who first was elected

in 2007 and resigned Jan. 4 to move out of the area.

The four other school board members were about to interview and appoint his replacement Feb. 17 when they were caught making disparaging remarks about parents, unaware their meeting had gone live.

Their comments, which suggested parents wanted schools to reopen because so they could have teachers serve as their babysitters while they stay home to smoke pot, drew such a public outcry that they resigned later that same week, leaving all five board seats vacant.

As a result, Contra Costa County Board of Education President Annette Lewis appointed fellow education board members Consuelo Lara and Mike Maxwell to join her on the interim board to oversee the Oakland Union Elementary School District until new leaders are chosen.

David Soldani, the district’s legal counsel, told the interim board it had to fill Polk’s seat by March 8 or call for a special election.

“If we fail, the county superintendent of schools then has to call an election to fill that seat,” he said.

Residents who attended Thursday’s meeting favored the appointment route.

“I am strongly urging that an application and appointment process is used to avoid a special election,” parent Anissa Williams said. “We all want what is best for our students and staff, and this has derailed the process. Please consider that Oakley has had enough negative attention, and we all just want to get back to work on a safe transition to school.”

Sherry Seat agreed. “Parents, teachers, students, administrators, everyone is struggling with an unprecedented situation. Patience and grace are needed now,” she wrote.

If the board chooses to call an election, the earliest it could take place would be Aug. 31 — at a cost of $200,000 to $300,000 — or it could be included on the Nov. 2 ballot for a lesser cost, the Soldani said.

“With the Nov. 2 election, the benefit is it costs less and voter turnout is higher,” he added.

If a trustee is elected for the Area 2 seat vacated by Polk, that person would serve the remainder of the term, which ends in November 2024. But if a new trustee is appointed, the term would end in November 2022, when the next school board election is set to occur.

Lewis asked if it would be appropriate to continue the appointment process that the previous board had begun. That board appointed Alaina Villeda on Feb. 17, but Villeda declined to serve after the controversial remarks.

Soldani recommended extending the application deadline.

“We need to get the word out so we have a high degree of participation,” he said.

“Hopefully, the residents and constituents within Oakley see that our urgency to get this resolved is a priority to us and everyone,” said Maxwell, who was elected interim board president by his two colleagues.

“We will take matters very seriously, but we will allow sufficient time to discuss, to get input from the community, in hopefully a number of fashions.”

The next meeting will take place virtually at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Those interested in applying can do so atouesd. k12.ca.us/board-of-trustees. The deadline is Tuesday.

For more information, contact Kelly Edwards at 925-625-5050 or kedwards@ouesd.k12.ca.us.