Durham stepping down from school board

Justin Durham resigned his position on the Sisters School Board at Wednesday night's meeting.

His resignation from Position No. 2 is effective December 31.

"It is just our business and three kids under five - there is a lot going on," said Durham, who is CEO of Sisters Coffee Co. "It has been a total pleasure serving on the board. I love working with all of you guys. I have learned a ton. I learned about working through difficult things; being able to engage community members that care, and being able to shape their enthusiasm."

Board chair Don Hedrick said, "I need to say that I'm sorry that you see the need to resign, Justin, because you have been a good board member. You have good questions and you have good insights. We will miss you."

Durham is a graduate of Sisters High School.

"You are the only product of Sisters School District that has sat on the board that I am aware of," said board vice chair Andrew Gorayeb. "You bring a necessary perspective to these meetings. It is really wonderful to sit in a room and actually hear from somebody that actually graduated from Sisters School District."

Durham was appointed to the school board in July of 2012 to fill the position of the late Christine Jones, who had stepped down due to ill health. The board had very recently gone through an interview process with "four solid candidates" and readily moved to appoint Durham to fill out the next year of Jones' term. The seat came up for election in May 2013. Durham won that election for a four-year term in Position No. 2. The term ends in May 2017.

Kay Grady was also appointed in July 2012 to Position No. 3 to fill out long-term board member Glen Lasken's term. She, too, was elected in May 2013 for a four-year term. Family issues forced Grady to resign in July 2014.

Local businessman Stephen King was appointed to replace Grady in August 2014.

There are five numbered positions on the school board. Board members are elected for four-year terms in elections held in odd years. Elections for the positions are staggered; three positions one election, the other two positions two years later in the next election. Candidates must be registered voters and have lived in the Sisters School District for the full year prior to the election.

Due to the many changes noted above, in May of 2015, four of the five board seats could come up for election: Durham's open position, Melvin Herburger in Position No. 3, Andrew Gorayeb in Position No. 4 and Stephen King in Position No. 5.

It will take at least eight candidates to make the board elections competitive. Depending on whether the incumbents stand for election - and win - there is the possibility that there could be four new school board members seated, leaving current board chair Don Hedrick as the only experienced board member.