Lockwood board appoints Michelle Tait as interim district clerk at $30/hour

The Lockwood K-12 board voted to appoint Michelle Tait as the interim district clerk, subject to an agreement between the board chair and the district, at a rate of $30 per hour.

Board Chair Lacey presented a recommendation to appoint Michelle Tait to ensure the board has required clerk support "to make sure that the board has what they need in order to keep having meetings" while the district continues its business manager/clerk recruitment. A trustee moved the motion and the chair announced a first from Dave and a second from Jackie; the motion carried after members voted (one recorded 'nay' was spoken during the sequence).

Trustee and public questions focused on the scope and duration of the interim assignment: whether the interim would handle public information requests, be the second check signer, and how many hours the role would require. Chair Lacey said she would follow up with more detail and with legal counsel as needed. Trustees confirmed no applicants had been received yet for the permanent business manager/clerk position.

Why it matters: The district needs someone to perform statutorily required clerk duties—minutes, record-keeping, and certain administrative functions—so the board can continue to meet and operate. Public commenters stressed that an 'interim' superintendent or interim staff role can have real, day-to-day impacts on students and staff and urged careful vetting.

What’s next: The chair will sign an agreement as authorized and provide further clarification about duties and hours; the board will continue recruitment for a permanent business manager/clerk and decide whether to involve payroll office staff in that selection process.