The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The latest vacancy on the Sisters School Board will be filled by appointment, probably by the end of the month. The vacancy is being created by the pending resignation of Tom Coffield, who made his intentions known at the June 27 board meeting.

Coffield was elected in 2003 and has two years remaining in his term. The person chosen to succeed him will serve those last two years, with the option of running for a full four-year term at the end of that time.

Coffield told his colleagues he would stay in office until the end of the month to give the board time to select a replacement. He will participate in the selection process.

To be eligible for appointment a person must be at least 18 years old, a registered voter, and a resident of the school district for at least the past year. Anyone interested is being asked to submit a letter “indicating your background and why you feel you would be an asset to the Sisters School Board,” according to the school administration office.

Letters should be addressed to Sisters School District, Board of Directors, P.O. Box 5099, Sisters, OR 97759. They must be received by 4 p.m. July 21.

Interviews of the candidates will be conducted at a board workshop tentatively scheduled for July 25 at the high school.

This change will leave the five-member Sisters board with a majority of inexperienced members. Two new members elected in May, Rob Corrigan and Mike Dugan, take office this month, replacing Eric Dolson and Bill Reed, who chose not to seek re-election.

Reed was the board’s veteran, having served since 1992. He was killed in a private plane crash on Friday, July 1.