The Philomath School District is seeking applicants to fill three vacancies on its Budget Committee after the terms of three community members expired June 30.
Business Manager Jennifer Griffith told the School Board at its Aug. 20 meeting that the terms of Shelly Brown, Kim Lopez and Alexandria Baldwin had expired. Griffith said on Thursday that two of those three had expressed interest in remaining on the committee.
Griffith said she had planned to post the application packet on the district’s website to open the process to new candidates as well.
The Budget Committee is made up of five community members alongside the five School Board members. The two other community seats are held by Matthew Cook and Thom King, whose terms run through June 30, 2028.
School Board Chair Tom Klipfel used the vacancies as a chance to encourage community members to consider applying while noting his own experience with a similar committee helped set him on a path to elected office.
“I recruited one of your members, so by all means, anyone who knows reasonable, responsible, and capable people to be on the Budget Committee, that’s a great way — if they’re interested in civic duty or getting on the board at one point — it’s a great stepping stone,” Klipfel said. “I was on the city budget committee for 10 years. That really was kind of what got me into this job.”
According to the district, applicants for the three-year terms — which run through June 30, 2029 — must live in the district, be a qualified voter of the district and not be an officer or employee of the district.
Candidate applications are available online or from the district office, located at 1620 Applegate St.
The deadline to apply is noon on Sept. 30. The School Board is expected to review applications and appoint new members Oct. 15.
Committee members’ responsibilities include attending a budget information session and one or two work sessions in the spring, along with one or two formal budget committee meetings — typically no longer than two hours each — held between early May and late June.
For those with questions about the Budget Committee, contact Griffith by email or via phone call (541-929-3169).