South Lane School Board swears in members, elects Bill Parsons chair and declares vacancy

The South Lane SD 45J3 board met and swore in new and returning members, elected Bill Parsons as board chair and accepted a resignation that created a vacancy on the board.

Board members were formally sworn in at the start of the meeting. The board then moved to elect a chair; a motion to appoint Bill Parsons was made and seconded, and the board approved the motion by voice vote. The minutes and on-record discussion do not include a roll-call tally; the vote was recorded on the record as a voice vote in favor.

The board next conducted the vice chair election and retained the current vice chair (referred to on the record as Pauline); that motion was also approved by voice vote.

The board accepted the resignation of the holder of board position 3, Dwayne Taddy, following brief remarks by fellow members acknowledging differences in views and expressing personal appreciation. A member who spoke in opposition or in support was not recorded as changing the outcome; the resignation was accepted by voice vote. The board then voted to declare position 3 vacant and to begin the vacancy-fill process under board policy. The district announced a public posting for applicants would be issued the following day, with a review window cited between August 27 and September 4 and interviews and an appointment planned for September 8.

“I never thought I’d say that, but I’m gonna miss him,” one board member said of Dwayne Taddy, reflecting personal regard despite policy disagreements.

Next steps noted on the record: the vacancy posting and an application-review schedule; the board directed the administrative process to proceed in accordance with district policy. No formal nomination of a replacement was made at the meeting; the board will interview applicants at a future public meeting and appoint per the published timeline.