Trustees at the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) hit an impasse Tuesday night over how to fill two vacant seats.
The board accepted the resignation of trustee Nancy Armstrong who represented Leamington and Pelee Island.
Ron Le Clair, who represented Amherstburg and LaSalle, stepped down on Sept. 15, citing significant changes to the governance landscape for education.
Last year at this time, Sarah Cipkar also exited the board and a new trustee, Malek Mekawi, was appointed earlier this year in January, following a call for open applications.
Chair Gale Simko-Hatfield brought forward a motion Tuesday night seeking to use that same method.
It failed.
Citing time constraints, trustee Kim McKinley instead sought to contact the two runners-up from the 2022 municipal election and appoint those candidates if interested.
Her motion also failed leaving the board at a standstill.
Trustee Cathy Cooke said she was frustrated with the process and urged her fellow trustees across the aisle to work together to pass a resolution.
"We already have issues in the community. Let's be transparent, let's do it the right way. If people there want to apply, let them apply. If they're the best candidate then they'll be appointed, but, can we not just work together tonight, do it the right way and move on? Please. Otherwise, you know, might be more vacancies," said Cooke.
Simko-Hatfield asked the board to reconsider.
"I really urge the trustees to do the right thing here and do a transparent process that we already have precedent for only 12 months ago," said Simko-Hatfield.
Mekawi said he took issue with the previous method used to appoint him due to the nearly six-week process.
He then presented a new motion that addressed those concerns.
"A maximum 15 minute interview for each candidate that consists of up to three standardized interview questions. That the candidates be interviewed at a special board meeting scheduled for Monday December 15, and that the new trustees be appointed to office on the regularly scheduled board meeting of December 16," Mekawi said.
Mekawi's motion passed. Applications are expected to open soon, with two new trustees to be sworn in before the holiday break.
Earlier in the evening, Simko-Hatfield was re-elected to serve a fourth term as chair.
She remarked that she feared the board could soon be taken over through provincial supervision or even dissolved.