The Ozark R-VI Board of Education accepted a written resignation from board member Guy Callaway effective Dec. 31, 2024, and discussed how to fill the resulting vacancy.

At the meeting the board president read Callaway's letter, which said his family relocated to Gulf Breeze, Florida, putting his primary residence outside the district and making him ineligible to serve. "Please accept this letter as a formal notification that I'm resigning from my position on the Ozarks school board effective 12/31/2024," the letter states.

A motion to accept the resignation was made and seconded; the board approved the resignation unanimously. District staff told the board the vacant seat will be filled by appointment under district policy and that the appointee would serve through April 2026 unless they file to run in the next election.

State Representative Jamie Gregg (140th District), who signed up for public comment, told the board the district's vacancy policy as posted on the district and state websites allows the board to appoint until the next election but urged the board to reconsider. Gregg said the county clerk told him ballots had not been printed and there were still days left in the filing period; he urged the board to “let the people speak” rather than appoint a candidate to serve until 2026.

Board members said they will review their vacancy appointment policy and publicize the opening. The board noted that the ballot had already been set for two vacancies and that procedures to appoint a third member are constrained by election timing.