Forest Lake School Board Deadlocked on Filling Vacancy
The Forest Lake Area School Board met for nearly eight hours on Thursday night and Friday morning, but remains deadlocked 3-3 in the selection of a new school board member.
The lack of a majority vote in favor of any of the candidates meant that all of the agenda items that followed were not resolved either. This includes the payment of bills, the certification of the levy, and the acceptance of the audit. According to Board Chairman Curt Rebelein, the board’s inability to fill the vacancy has resulted in a roadblock for the rest of the agenda.
What Happened
The deadlock resulted from a resolution, crafted by Rebelein, regarding the next steps for filling the vacant board position. The resolution, adopted by the school board on November 20, included language that set aside a specific time in the meeting to discuss the appointment of a new board member. Rebelein stated that because the board had voted in favor of the resolution, no other business could be conducted on Thursday night or Friday morning.
School Board Member Gail Theisen expressed disappointment and frustration with the outcome, stating that being “held hostage” in the boardroom for eight hours was “scary.” Theisen also criticized Rebelein’s use of Robert’s Rules of Order, saying that it was being used as a “tool to hijack meetings and accomplish his own personal agenda.”
Superintendent Steve Massey suggested during the meeting that the board consider voting on a candidate “one way or the other.” However, Rebelein posed the question to the board but said he would not support dissolving the November 20 resolution directive. Neither would Antonson or Kasel, resulting in a lack of majority support.
Next Steps
The board has set a special meeting for 6 p.m. on Wednesday to continue the discussion. Rebelein expects the matter to be settled at the meeting and hopes that the board will be able to obtain a quorum. Appointing someone to fill the vacancy requires a simple-majority vote, and Rebelein stated that Doboszenski remains his top choice to fill the vacant seat.
The new board member will serve on the board for the 2026 calendar year. The vacancy was created when former member Luke Hagglund resigned on October 24, citing a move out of the district. Seven candidates were interviewed on Wednesday, including Andi Courneya, Scot Doboszenski, Princesa Hansen, Paul Pease, Kenneth Rutford, Jim Smith, and Daniel Tuott.
For more information on this story, visit Here
Image Source: www.twincities.com
