Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Leadership topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Willoughby‑Eastlake board elects Stacy Menser president, names vice president and liaison
Summary
At its Jan. 6 regular meeting the Willoughby‑Eastlake City Schools Board of Education elected Stacy Menser to a one‑year term as board president, elected Jamie Schatzman as vice president, and approved several administrative appointments including a treasurer pro tempore and the legislative liaison.
The Willoughby‑Eastlake City Schools Board of Education on Jan. 6 elected Stacy Menser to a one‑year term as board president and Jamie Schatzman to a one‑year term as vice president, and confirmed several board appointments ahead of the 2025 election year.
The actions were taken during the board’s regular meeting at the district administration building after nominations and brief discussion about continuity, cross‑training and a proposed “board framework” intended to document governance procedures. The board also appointed a treasurer pro tempore to serve at the January meeting in the absence of Treasurer Tarnello and reappointed the legislative liaison.
Why it matters: Board leadership determines who sets meeting agendas and who represents the board in external meetings; with several seats up for election in 2025 the board members debated whether to prioritize continuity in leadership or to rotate roles to cross‑train members. Discussion focused on preparing the district for potential turnover by creating systems that are not person‑dependent.
Board discussion centered on two competing rationales. Supporters of keeping Menser in the president role argued continuity helps sustain relationships with administrators and preserves momentum on initiatives the board and administration are implementing. Other members urged using the coming year to “A/B test” leadership — temporarily rotating leadership roles so more members gain experience ahead of the election cycle and so the board’s governance framework can be stress‑tested.
During the debate Jamie Schatzman and Stacy Menser both discussed the value of documented procedures and cross‑training. Schatzman described plans to continue work on a board framework and policy review alongside district staff; Menser emphasized systematizing governance so the district can continue to function regardless of personnel changes.
Votes at a glance - Appointment of treasurer pro tempore for the Jan. 6 meeting (to serve during Treasurer Tarnello’s absence): motion made and approved by roll call. Those recorded responding “yes” during the roll call included: Miss Fair; Miss Miller; Miss Verdi; Miss Schatzman; Miss Spencer; Miss Baer; Miss Menser. Outcome: approved/appointed. - Election of Board of Education president (one‑year term): Stacy Menser accepted the nomination and was elected by roll call. Those recorded responding “yes” during the roll call included: Miss Fair; Miss Miller; Miss Verdi; Miss Schatzman; Miss Spencer. Outcome: elected. - Election of Board of Education vice president (one‑year term): Jamie Schatzman nominated and elected; roll call recorded yes votes from Miss Baer; Miss Miller; Miss Verdi; Miss Schatzman; Miss Mensah; Miss Spencer. Outcome: elected. - Appointment of legislative liaison: motion to appoint Jamie Schatzman to continue in that role was moved and approved by roll call. Outcome: appointed.
What didn’t change: The board agreed to continue work on a board framework and to present a draft at an upcoming work session; members said the framework may be moved into policy after committee review.
The meeting closed with board members and administrators emphasizing continuity of district programs and the need to document governance so transitions after the 2025 elections will be orderly.
