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Lawrence school board appoints fourth-place finisher to fill vacant seat
Summary
After one member recused, the USD 497 Board of Education voted 4-0 to appoint the fourth-place finisher in the Nov. 2025 school board election to fill a vacancy created by Anne Costello's resignation; the appointee’s term begins Jan. 12, 2026. Supporters cited precedent and the governance manual; one public commenter urged the same outcome.
The USD 497 Board of Education voted Nov. 10 to appoint the fourth-place finisher in the Nov. 2025 school board election to the vacancy left by Anne Costello, with the appointee’s term scheduled to begin Jan. 12, 2026 and continue until the next regular election for the seat, in accordance with Kansas law and board policy.
Board member (Speaker 8) moved the appointment, which was seconded and adopted by roll call after a recusal. Speaker 3 announced at the start of the discussion that they needed to withdraw because the issue “may affect me”. The motion passed 4-0 on roll call.
The motion and timing reflected guidance in the district governance manual cited by President Gordon Ross, who prefaced the discussion by noting the proximity of the vacancy to the election and how close vote totals were for third and fourth place. Multiple board members said using the runner-up honored the voters’ intent and was a reasonable, fiscally efficient approach compared with launching a separate application and interview process.
During public comment, Mike Courtney, introduced himself as Lawrence city commissioner-elect and a former PTA president, urged the board to appoint the fourth-place finisher and cited a prior 2022 decision in which the board selected a runner-up to fill a vacancy. Courtney told the board the choice would reaffirm a precedent of transparency and accountability and suggested specific candidates to consider.
Board members offered brief remarks after the vote, with Kelly Jones congratulating Bob Byers and Matt Lancaster and saying the board will remain strong moving forward. The board clerk recorded the appointment motion language on the record stating the term start date and compliance with applicable Kansas law and board policy.
What’s next: The appointee’s official term begins Jan. 12, 2026. Board members noted that if the certified election results lead to procedural steps related to overlapping terms, additional procedural actions may be required at the board’s January meeting.
Vote at a glance: Agenda motion to appoint fourth-place finisher — Motion passed 4-0 (Speaker 3 had recused earlier).
