Burnsville — The Independent School District 191 Board of Education on Jan. 17 adopted a resolution to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Director Sofio Mersal on Jan. 7, 2025, and approved a candidate application form and selection process that the board said will allow it to appoint a replacement rather than call a special election.

At the special meeting Chair Wirth said the board will accept applications beginning at 8 a.m. Jan. 21, 2025, and ending at 5 p.m. Feb. 5, 2025, and that the appointed candidate would be sworn in during the board’s regular business meeting on March 27, 2025. The board also scheduled a planning retreat on Feb. 7 to review and screen applications and public interviews for Feb. 12, 2025.

The action follows a 2024 change in state election law (HF 4772) and the board’s interpretation of state statute 123B.09, which the board cited as allowing appointment when a school board vacancy occurs fewer than two years before the end of the unexpired term. Chair Wirth recited the application window and the swearing-in date during the meeting.

Board members moved and approved the procedural resolution by roll call. Director Ault moved the resolution and Director Hume seconded; a roll call recorded votes in favor from Director Hill, Director Mickelson, Director Ault, Chair Wirth, Director Chester and Director Anderson and the resolution was declared adopted.

The board also approved the candidate application form with a set of amendments the board discussed at length. The approved changes add a required email field, remove four application questions (identified in the packet as questions 11, 12, 14 and 16) and add language to the application steps clarifying that, depending on the number of applicants, the board may narrow the applicant pool during its Feb. 7 retreat before public interviews. During discussion members said they wanted a shorter application focused on core items (brief personal statement, reasons for applying, experience with ISD 191, and a question about nonpartisanship) and to move detailed policy and finance questions into the public interview phase.

A motion to amend the application (add email; strike questions 11, 12, 14 and 16; add language that the board "may narrow the applicant pool") was moved and seconded and carried unanimously; the amended application then was approved unanimously. The board later approved the candidate selection process — the same process the board used in 2020, updated with current names and titles — by unanimous voice vote. Board members described the selection procedure as allowing individual members to nominate or second candidates during the public appointment sequence and noted that a lack of a second will remove a nomination from consideration.

No specific applicants were discussed at the meeting, and board members said the number of applications expected was not specified; members discussed the possibility of interviewing all applicants if the pool is small and using a screening step if the pool is large. The board did not set a numerical threshold for narrowing applicants and said final interview questions will be polished at the Feb. 7 retreat.

Next steps: staff will post the approved application and the selection timeline, the board will conduct its Feb. 7 retreat to screen applicants and hold public interviews Feb. 12. The board expects to adopt a resolution appointing a candidate and to swear in the appointee at its March 27 regular meeting.