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Board appoints three community members to Salem‑Keizer budget committee amid procedural questions
Summary
The Salem‑Keizer School District board appointed William Gautreich, Jean Gitan and Jessica Peterson to three open seats on the district budget committee after discussion about whether applicants who did not submit optional videos or attend should remain under consideration.
The board voted unanimously to appoint three community members to the Salem‑Keizer School District budget committee and heard procedural questions from trustees about application materials and applicant participation.
Board Chair Richardson said the committee has 14 members — seven board members plus seven community appointees — and introduced the slate of applicants. After procedural discussion about a handful of applicants who did not submit optional video interviews or respond to follow‑up emails, Director Preci moved to appoint William Gautreich, Jean Gitan and Jessica Peterson. The motion was seconded and approved by a unanimous voice vote.
Each of the three appointees briefly addressed the board after the vote. Jean Gitan said, “Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to be part of the budget committee. Looking forward to meeting all of you.” William Gautreich and Jessica Peterson also thanked the board and said they looked forward to participating.
Why it matters: The budget committee reviews the district’s proposed budget and provides public oversight before the board adopts the final budget; members serve terms that expire June 30, 2027, for these openings.
Procedural questions raised: Several trustees asked whether submitting the optional video or attending the meeting was required; staff said videos were requested and that a small number of applicants had not responded to follow‑up outreach or attend the meeting. Trustees debated whether to exclude those unresponsive applicants from consideration; the board ultimately proceeded with the motion to appoint the three present candidates.
Ending: The board welcomed the new budget committee members and invited short remarks from the appointees; staff said further communication would follow about next steps and onboarding.
