School Board troubles

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Austin school board can't agree on new board member

Updated: Jul 20, 2010 5:11 PM CDT

AUSTIN, Minn. (KTTC-DT) -- What could have been the final chapter in the saga surrounding ousted school board member, Curt Rude, now won't come to a conclusion until possibly early fall.

Tuesday afternoon the board interviewed four finalists to fill Rude's seat and planned to select a new member the same day.

However, after several rounds of voting, the board couldn't break a 3-3 tie between candidates, Jeff Ollman and Lisa Peters.

The board will now refer the issue to a personnel committee for further review.

School Board chairman, Richard Lees said the board will revisit the issue, likely within the next three months, but for right now they will continue on with the six members they have.

"We can get along very nicely with the six we have, but it's a matter of state policy, Minnesota School Board policy, so we will have to keep trying," says Lees.

Lees also said that the district has never been in this type of situation before so it's unclear what exactly will happen or what the next step will be.

Rude was dismissed from the school board after he was convicted of drug possession in November of 2009.

Board Fails to Pick Rude’s Replacement

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Five votes, but still no final decision on who will be the newest member of the Austin School Board.

Tuesday, board members should have selected a replacement for Curt Rude, who was voted out back in March because of a conflict of interest.

Four finalists for the open spot on the Austin School Board were supposed to find who landed the job, but after 5 rounds of voting, deadlock.

"This is not that unexpected. We've been working along well with 6 and so this is something that the Minnesota School Board Association is sort of forcing on us, but this isn't something we're going after or desire," says Board Chairperson Richard Lees.

But after a month long selection process, some would like to see a decision.

"Let's just choose someone because otherwise it sort of seems like a waste of time if we don't get a choice," says finalist Lisa Peters.

And are left wondering what's next.

"I don't know what they're going to do. I don't know if they're going to stick with the 6 or if they're going to just start the process over again," says Peters.

Lees says that decision is up to a personnel committee, but for now 6 is a balanced number.

"It's working out well, it's not going to make any difference basically except that we all have to pick-up a little more work on committees and things like that," says Lees.

It may be working now, but some worry Tuesday's indecision is a forecast of things to come.

"When you've got a board of only 6 members you're going to have a deadlock like we've had today, probably several times, where that 7th person's going to be able to come in and you know we're not going to have a tie vote any longer," says Peters.

Legally, the board doesn't have to find a seventh member.

However, the Minnesota School Board Association is pushing for one.

A personnel committee is set to take up the issue next month.

The school board was dead locked three to three, me against Ollman and then they decided to not decide. What, you can do that? Four of us interviewed for the position Tuesday and it was a huge waste of time. Decide not to decide, how can that be. A waste of a month is what I think it is and if they cannot decide on a replacement how do they decide on important decisions for our district?