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Dearborn trustees face two vacancies after one resignation and a second announced resignation
Summary
Trustee Irene Watts’s Aug. 11 resignation triggered a 30-day requirement to fill her seat; Trustee Berry announced he will submit his resignation effective midnight, prompting the board to open an Aug. 25 application window and seek legal clarification on whether a majority to appoint means the current seated board or the full seven-member board.
President Mozart announced at the Aug. 18 Dearborn Board of Education meeting that Trustee Irene Watts had submitted her resignation effective Aug. 11 after moving out of the district and that the board must fill the vacancy within 30 calendar days under state law. "We will truly miss, Trustee Watts on the board," Mozart said, and the board posted an application process that closes Aug. 25 at 4 p.m. on dearbornschools.org.
Minutes later Trustee Berry told colleagues he planned to resign as well and to submit a formal resignation by midnight. "So as of midnight tonight, I will send you a formal resignation," Berry said, adding that he had discussed his concerns about the district’s replacement process with other trustees.
The announcement left the board seeking a legal interpretation of its bylaws. The board cited a bylaw provision requiring that an appointment "shall be by a majority vote of the full board" and asked the superintendent and district counsel to obtain clarity from MASV and other legal sources on whether "majority of the full board" means a majority of members currently seated or a majority of the full seven-member board. Trustees discussed timelines under the 30-day statutory requirement to appoint a replacement and the practical implications for scheduling interviews and special meetings.
The board confirmed the application deadline for the current vacancy will remain Aug. 25 at 4 p.m., and President Mozart said administrators will issue a press release if Trustee Berry formally resigns. "We will definitely put up a press release if Trustee Berry definitely does resign, and we will make sure that it's well known and the application deadline will stay to be August 25," Mozart said.
Next steps: district legal counsel and MASV counsel will be asked to deliver a written opinion and the board will schedule any necessary special meeting(s) to interview applicants and make appointments consistent with legal guidance and the 30-day statutory deadline.
