The Philomath School Board made it official during its regular monthly meeting Thursday night by installing Tom Klipfel as the board chair.
Erin Gudge resigned from the position Tuesday during a board hearing on complaints that had been brought against her regarding a social media post.
“I was certainly not expecting to serve as chair in my first year back after being off the board for eight years,” Klipfel said during the meeting. “I am willing to do it but I very much expect the support of this entire body.”
Klipfel seemed like the logical choice to move into the position after stepping into the lead role while working through the complaints against Gudge. He also has a background that includes two years as the School Board chair and six years as the city’s Budget Committee chair.
Klipfel returned to the board this year after winning the seat in the May special election. He served for 10 years on the board prior to his current term and was instrumental in the campaign to pass a bond measure to build a new high school and establish an operating levy to avoid deep cuts during the 2008 recession.
Board members approved Klipfel, the lone nominee, on a unanimous vote. In addition, board newcomer Erin McMullen was voted in as vice chair.
Also at the Thursday meeting, Maggy Real and Laney Thomas were welcomed as student representatives to the board. Both students recited the oath of office.
“I’ve already been in email contact with Maggy and Laney and we’re trying to find some time we can set up and get together and be able to have some conversations” about student issues, Halliday said.
Real is in her second year as a student representative to the board, sharing the responsibilities in 2024-25 with Levi Storch.
The student representative position was added in 2022 with Jackson Holroyd filling the seat. Raegan McKinney served in the role in 2023-24.
Although the position allows for meeting participation, the students will not be voting members and will be prohibited from attending executive sessions, which are closed to the public.
In other news from the Oct. 9 meeting, Halliday and Facilities Director Joey DiGiovannangelo discussed with the board needed repairs to Clemens Community Pool, a list that includes the replacement of the filtering system, addressing safety grates and fixing leakage in the pool’s gutter box beneath the pool.
Other items to consider, Halliday said, include a pool gutter replacement, pool liner insert and associated deck repair.
The repairs revisit concerns first identified in 2018 when the pool’s future looked uncertain.
“I remember 2018 and it was looking pretty dire,” Klipfel said. “Here we are in 2025 and people are still swimming in the pool.”
Halliday credited the facilities department and pool directors for extending the pool’s life seven years beyond expectations.
While the upper infrastructure was inspected and deemed safe, Halliday emphasized safety concerns about the pool’s underground components.
“We’re trying to see if we can get stars to align to be able to look at our financial considerations and options for both repair and maintenance and the ongoing operation,” Halliday said. “Because right now, it’s a safety thing. We don’t want anything down below that pool to implode or for somebody to get hurt or anything else like that.”
The district is exploring funding options for the repairs.
