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Board elects Cindy Holder as president after heated debate over candidatehistory
Summary
Trustees voted to elect Cindy Holder board president after a contested nomination process in which Trustee Mark Kimble said Rebecca Chamblas had a ocumented history of drug-related issues and Chamblas strongly denied wrongdoing; the board conducted roll-call votes for officers and approved other officer positions.
The Madison District Public Schools Board of Education elected Cindy Holder president at its Jan. 6 organizational meeting after a contested nomination and extended exchange among trustees.
The board nominated Cindy Holder and Rebecca Chamblas for president. Trustee Mark Kimble objected to Chamblas s a candidate, saying she "has a history of drugs and it's a public record," prompting an extended rebuttal from Chamblas. Chamblas said the state hearing "could not prove [I] did anything wrong" and described completing drug testing requirements, saying, "I have six years of random drug tests ... not one positive." Gloria Thompson and other trustees defended Chamblas—haracter and qualifications for leadership.
After several trustees asked both candidates about their vision and leadership approach, the board held a roll-call vote and approved Holder as president. The roll call recorded multiple yes and no votes as part of the official record; the motion passed by board majority.
Trustees then elected other officers: Rebecca Chamblas as vice president, Mary Bush as secretary and Gloria Thompson as treasurer. These positions were approved by roll call with a mix of yesses and a small number of dissenting votes noted in the transcript.
Trustees and the superintendent framed the election as part of broader efforts to stabilize governance in 2025. Board members said they plan to prioritize improved communication with staff and the community and encouraged new trustees to pursue state-level training offered by the Michigan Association of School Boards.
The board completed its organizational business before moving on to awards and the fiscal-year budget-preview presentation.
