New School Board Member Appointed

Chris Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  November 7, 2015.  Pursuant to the recent reapportionment of the Rich County School District, the existing school board on Thursday, Nov 5, interviewed 7 interested applicants for the newly created district 5, the north side of Garden City, which has no representative. 

The seven persons who applied were:  Scott Tolentino, Andy Stokes, Tricia Wallentine, Cheree Lutz, Lindsey Thompson, Tonya Peterson, and Ben Negus.

Each of the candidates were asked the same 5 questions in an open meeting, include questions about background, why each wanted to be on the board, what their philosophy was on K-12 education, what they thought the district did well and what should be changed, and why each thought that he/she was the best candidate.  Interviews averaged about 20 minutes in length.  Some of the candidates had excellent ideas for change in the schools such as providing AP classes and getting teachers accredited for that possibility and giving teachers,who are also coaches, more time for tutoring. Others mentioned the divisions in the district and healing them.

After the interviews were over the board adjourned and met again on Saturday, Nov 7, and voted to appoint Andy Stokes to the board.  The appointment will last until January, 2017, with an election by the district residents taking place next fall in November, 2016.  The filing period for the office will be about two weeks long in March, 2016. 

Because of the redistricting the board membership will rise from 5 to 6 until January, 2019, when it will return to the state mandated 5 members.  The one member increase is due to state law which provides for all elected members to complete the terms for which they were elected.  Currently board members Monte Weston and Eric Wamsley are in the same district.

As of this writing it is not known whether Andy Stokes will take the annual approximately $18,000 in taxpayer funded health benefit coverage awarded by the board to itself.  Board member Bryce Huefner is the only current board member who has declined to accept the taxpayer funded benefit.  

Huefner tried to get the policy changed when he was took office in 2015 but could not get a second for his motion to remove that benefit from board members.  While voting for the taxpayer funded benefit for themselves the board does not allow district employees with 29 or fewer work hours per week to participate.