Johnson-Berges to fill Urban’s board seat

By DEB WUETHRICH

At Monday night’s special school board meeting, following a public budget hearing, Tecumseh School Board members had an opportunity to review applications for three candidates who were interested in filling the one-year remainder of Gary Urban’s seat. Urban resigned from the board on June 8.

 
The three candidates included: Dr. Edward Tritt, DVM, who formerly served on the board for eight years and also has held board offices; Barbara Lesko, a laboratory technician and community member who has served on educational and corporate boards; and current board member and president Debbie Johnson-Burges, whose term was expiring.

Berges was appointed with a 3-2 vote with no votes from Jason Sines and Lou Englund. Newly elected board member Jimmie Rice will be sworn in on  Monday, July 27, when the board holds its next meeting to include an organizational meeting to begin at 6:30 p.m. There will be no meeting July 13. Officers for the coming school year also will be elected at the organizational meeting.

Board member Kevin Packard stated that it was great to have three candidates to choose from, especially during a time when it’s difficult to find qualified people who are willing to serve. Packard also thanked the audience for its comments. A final public comment period had included a woman pointing out a news item about how the district’s administrators had turned down the coming year’s raises. She said the administrators were not heroes for doing this.

“Be fair,” she said. “You expect us to take a 15 percent pay cut, and some have lost their jobs. I really think the administrators should lead by example.”

Packard said hearing the comments helps the board keep things in perspective, “Even though it’s sometimes difficult to hear,” he said. “It’s still good for us to hear all the comments.”

Although she did not opt to run for a full term during the May election, Johnson-Berges said, following the meeting, that she felt it was important to “finish the job” and added that she feels strongly about the kids who attend school in the district.

“I think it’s our responsibility to act in their best interests and I want to do what I can to help out,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure to work with these people and I look forward to another year.”