Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Vacancy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Landry school board declares District 3 vacancy and schedules May 19 selection meeting
Summary
After discussion of statutory timelines and outreach, the St. Landry Parish School Board formally declared a vacancy in District 3 and agreed to follow the 2021 appointment process, scheduling candidate introductions and a selection vote for May 19 so the seat can be filled before the 20-day statutory deadline.
The St. Landry Parish School Board voted May 7 to declare a vacancy in District 3 and set a process to appoint an interim member before the statutory 20-day deadline.
Board members spent an extended portion of the meeting reviewing Louisiana’s requirements for filling board vacancies, including residency and education criteria. Legal guidance cited Louisiana Revised Statute 18 (as read at the meeting) requiring the board to declare a vacancy; the board then discussed outreach methods to notify interested residents and the timeline for interviews and questions.
Board President Randy Waggley said the board would follow the selection procedure used in 2021 and hold candidate introductions and a question-and-answer session at the Committee of the Whole meeting on May 19. “We have 20 days to make that appointment,” the board’s discussion emphasized, and members agreed that posting in the official journal and on the district’s channels would be appropriate outreach.
Members debated practical details including whether applicants should submit written materials and how to verify residency and other statutory qualifications. Several members recommended the superintendent or secretary coordinate notices and suggested the board contact the Secretary of State’s office for guidance on verification; board members agreed to seek that guidance before the May 19 meeting.
The board approved a motion to declare the vacancy in District 3 and to implement the advertised interview-and-selection process on May 19 so an appointment can be made prior to the May 22 deadline described during the meeting.
Next steps: the board will publish notice of the vacancy and the May 19 candidate session, consult the Secretary of State’s office for verification procedures, and perform candidate interviews at the Committee of the Whole meeting on May 19.
