■ Special session to fill seat left vacant by Dana Dean’s March move to county education panel

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

The resignation of Dana Dean from the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees on March 6 created a vacancy.
At a special meeting on Wednesday, the board will seek to fill that vacancy by choosing one of seven applicants to join its ranks.

Former Planning Commissioner Rick Ernst, former Liberty High School Principal Ellen Blaufarb, Peter Morgan, Tina Thorn, Nicole Nunes, Sandra Allen and Thelma Bentley have applied to serve out the remainder of Dean’s term, which is likely to be extended to November 2014 after the board voted earlier this year to move to even-year elections.

That move must be ratified by the Solano County Board of Supervisors.

Dean resigned from the board after being appointed to the Solano County Board of Education, replacing John Galvan. The BUSD board opted to replace her by appointment rather than a more expensive special election.

Application packets were made available to those interested in applying for the position beginning March 25, with a deadline of April 17. To be eligible, an applicant had to be a registered voter who resided within Benicia’s boundaries; Superintendent Janice Adams, members of her staff and employees of the district were not eligible to apply.

The applications were given to board members for review on April 18. Of those applications, seven were chosen to be interviewed Wednesday.

“(We have) seven applicants that turned in completed applications,” board President Rosie Switzer said during the board’s April 18 meeting. “We’re looking forward to interviewing them and meeting them.”

According to the agenda for the special meeting, if the board makes a provisional appointment from the candidates interviewed, the oath of office will be administered immediately by Solano County Superintendent of Schools Jay Speck, and public notice of the appointment will be made Thursday.

If You Go
The special meeting of the Benicia Unified School District will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the District Office, 350 East K St.

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