School board declares District 3 vacancy, schedules May 19 candidate presentations

The St. Landry Parish School Board on May 7 formally declared a vacancy in District 3 and agreed to a process for appointing a replacement, with candidate presentations and a question-and-answer session planned for the committee-of-the-whole meeting on May 19.

Board counsel summarized the governing statute and the timetable for filling the seat. "You have 20 days to make a appointment," the staff member (legal counsel) said, noting the board's deadline would fall on Friday, May 27. The counsel advised that when a remainder of a term is less than a year the appointee fills the remainder and no special election is required under the statute cited in the meeting.

Members debated how to publicize the opening and what information, if any, candidates should submit. Some members urged broad outreach, including social media, the district website and local news channels, while others objected to requiring written applications and said past practice was to have interested residents simply come before the board and introduce themselves.

The board agreed to follow a prior process used for similar vacancies: interested residents will be asked to appear before the board, speak for a short period about their qualifications, and answer questions from members. The board tasked designated staff to coordinate publication of the vacancy and to confirm statutory eligibility requirements for applicants.

The decision to declare the vacancy and the plan for May 19 passed without recorded opposition. The board noted that candidates will need to demonstrate they meet statutory qualifications (age, residency and voter registration requirements) before formal appointment.

Next steps: staff will publicize the District 3 vacancy and the May 19 presentation schedule; counsel will confirm any remaining procedural questions with the secretary of state's office as requested by the board.