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Pueblo County School District 70 board accepts District 2 resignation, opens public process to fill vacancy
Summary
Trustees accepted the resignation of Director Ana Ochs and approved a public posting to fill the District 2 seat, setting Jan. 19 as the application deadline and directing a transparent, board-led selection process with interviews and background checks.
The Pueblo County School District 70 Board of Education voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Director Ana Ochs and declared a vacancy in the District 2 seat, then approved posting a public notice to accept applications with a Jan. 19 deadline.
Legal counsel Brad Miller told trustees that "unless and until you accept the resignation, Ana Ochs remains on your board. She is an equipped voting member. She can participate in any way until that resignation is accepted," and that accepting a resignation is the board's act that both acknowledges the resignation and triggers the vacancy process. Miller also advised that the statute empowers the board president to call special meetings, saying that "special meetings may be called by the president at any time," a unilateral power under statute as he described it.
The board discussed potential scheduling to meet statutory timelines and practical constraints. Trustees referenced the statutory 60‑day window that begins when a resignation is accepted and noted that, using the dates discussed, the 60th day would fall on Feb. 14. Board members agreed to allow applicants sufficient time after winter break to assemble materials and interact with staff, and they discussed holding candidate-review meetings in late January with interviews or a special meeting in early February if needed.
The board agreed the application packet will require a letter of intent and a resume at minimum, verification of residency in District 2, and a background check processed through HR. Trustees also agreed to request one letter of recommendation or a list of references, while cautioning against excessive requirements that might discourage qualified applicants. Staff and trustees discussed using a screening tool to score applicants and compiling a set of interview questions in advance.
In two formal votes, trustees (Anne Bennett; Mark Emery; Michelle Erickson; AJ Wilson) carried motions to accept the resignation effective 12/16/2025 and to post the notice of vacancy with materials due Jan. 19. The board announced its next regular meeting for Jan. 13, 2026, at the Educational Services Center on East Highway 50 in Pueblo; trustees said they may schedule a special meeting if needed to interview finalists before a final vote.
Board member Mark Emery closed the meeting with a personal remark reflecting on recent public attention: "District 70 is getting statewide notoriety for all the wrong reasons," and urged colleagues to "proceed keeping in mind what's important, our students and our staff, and eliminate the distractions to the goal."
Votes at a glance: - Acceptance of resignation and declaration of vacancy (Action 4.01): Motion carried; roll call recorded Anne Bennett Aye; Mark Emery Yes; Michelle Erickson Yes; AJ Wilson Yes. - Approval to post notice of vacancy and accept applications (Action 4.02): Motion carried; roll call recorded Anne Bennett Yes; Mark Emery Yes; Michelle Erickson Yes; AJ Wilson Yes.
Next steps: The board posted the vacancy with an application deadline of Jan. 19; staff will compile screening tools and interview questions for trustees to review before the Jan. 13 meeting and may schedule additional meetings as needed to meet the 60‑day statutory timeline.
