Yucaipa‑Calimesa board appoints provisional replacement to fill Bannister vacancy

The Yucaipa‑Calimesa Joint Unified School District board on Jan. 13 voted 4‑0 to make a provisional appointment to fill the board vacancy left by retiring member Sharon Bannister.

Board members discussed two options — holding a special election or an appointment — after staff noted a special election could cost in the neighborhood of $180,000–$185,000 and might take eight to 12 months to schedule. A trustee favoring fiscal restraint said appointment would avoid the large election expense when the seat’s term would end soon.

After discussion, a board member moved that the board make a provisional appointment to fill Bannister’s seat; the motion passed unanimously. The board then voted to create an ad hoc committee to manage the application and screening process. The committee will review applicant materials for basic qualifications (age, trustee area residency and statutory eligibility) and will return recommended qualified applicants to the full board for consideration.

Clerk and staff outlined the committee’s process: the secretary to the board will publish an application, set a deadline with time stamps, and the ad hoc committee will vet candidates for statutory eligibility rather than select a finalist. The board said the traditional membership for that committee includes the board president and the clerk; trustees volunteered to serve and the motion to form the committee carried 4‑0.

The board did not name an appointee at the Jan. 13 meeting. Next steps are publication of the application timeline and review by the ad hoc committee ahead of a full‑board appointment vote.