As of last week, the Archuleta School District Board of Education had not yet received any applications for a vacant Precinct 1 board seat. The vacancy became official on July 14, and letters of interest for the appointment are due by August 27.
The vacancy resulted from the resignation of director Brooks Lindner, who had recently been serving served as board president. Director Bruce Dryburgh is currently serving as board president.
At its July 14 meeting, the School Board approved a resolution announcing the vacant seat, which must be filled by appointment within 60 days. Anyone interested in filling the seat is invited to send a letter to the board with a statement of interest and qualifications by August 27; the letter should be delivered to the District Administration office at 309 Lewis Street, or sent by email to rbennett@pagosa.k12.co.us, or sent by snail mail to Executive Assistant Robyn Bennett, P.O. Box 1498, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
The letter of intent should address the following:
1.Why do you want to be on the board?
2. Do you plan on running for the position once your term expires in November of 2021?
3. What is your philosophy of education as it relates to serving on the board?
The board will interview prospective candidates at a 5pm public meeting on September 8. The appointee will serve until the board’s next regular biennial election in November 2021.
To be eligible to fill the vacancy, a candidate must be a registered elector of the school district and a resident of director District 1. Citizens who are interested in applying but who are unsure of what director district they reside in can go to govotecolorado.gov, then to ‘Find My Registration’ to find out which school board precinct they reside in, located under the ‘County & District Information’ tab.
Brooks Lindner was first elected to the School Board in 2013. In his resignation letter, Mr. Lindner explained that his family had sold their house located in Precinct 1, and since he no longer has a residence in that district, he is ineligible to represent the voters there.
In his letter, he wrote: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my seven years on school board. I learned a lot, forged friendships and professional relationships, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have had an impact on the education of the children in our community. I certainly would have preferred to serve out my second term, but the sale of our house is a necessity in my family’s life right now. I am committed to continuing to serve our district in whatever capacity I can as a community member.”