The Independent School District 191 board formally accepted the resignation of Director Safia Mersal effective Jan. 7, 2025, and moved immediately into a work session to outline a process to fill the vacancy by appointment under Minnesota Statute 123B.09.

Chair Anna Werb read a letter from Director Safia Mersal announcing her resignation for personal reasons and thanking the board for the opportunity to serve. "It has been a rewarding experience and I am proud of the progress we have made together," the reading of the letter stated. The board moved to accept the resignation; the motion was seconded by Director Hume and carried unanimously.

Because the 2024 elections law (HF 4772) added a provision, effective July 1, 2024, the board may appoint a replacement rather than hold a special election when a vacancy occurs less than two years before the end of the term. Chair Werb noted the relevant language and staff provided materials used in a similar 2020 process, including model application and interview questions from the Minnesota School Boards Association.

The board discussed and reached consensus on a timeline and process during the meeting's work session. Key points the board summarized:
- Special meeting to approve the candidate-application timeline: Jan. 17 at 4:00 p.m. (board consensus to hold a short special meeting to formalize the application form and timeline).
- Application window: open Jan. 21 and close Feb. 5 (the board discussed a roughly two-week-plus application window and settled on these dates in the work-session summary).
- Application review and finalist selection: special meeting on Feb. 7 to review submitted applications and identify finalists for interview.
- Candidate interviews: scheduled for Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. (the board indicated interviews would be held separately from a regular meeting to avoid long waits for candidates).
- Anticipated board action: the board indicated it would vote to appoint at a follow-up meeting after interviews; under the statute the appointment takes effect after the statutory waiting period and the appointee's first meeting was projected to be the March 27 regular board meeting.

Board members discussed practical steps including using a Google form for the application, removing outdated COVID-specific questions from the template, and confirming that applicants should submit a resume. The board also agreed to include the process timeline and interview dates in the public vacancy announcement on the district website and social media.

Ending
The board scheduled a short special meeting for Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. to adopt the application timeline and to finalize the application form; subsequent dates are subject to the board's formal approvals, but the transcript shows consensus around the Jan. 21'Feb. 5 application window, Feb. 7 review meeting, Feb. 12 interviews and a potential March 27 swearing-in under Minnesota Statute 123B.09.