Philomath School Board members Rick Wells and Joe Dealy are in their final days of service with the school district with terms that will expire June 30. During their last regular meeting earlier this month, both were given a positive sendoff.
Wells and Dealy will be replaced at the table by Erin McMullen and Tom Klipfel — both winning seats in May’s special district election.
For Wells, it’s the end of an era in the School Board’s history. He was first elected in 2003 and served for 20 years over a 22-year span.
“I’ve learned a lot from a lot of different people,” Wells said with the June 12 meeting nearing closure, his voice cracking a bit. “Past board members that I had the pleasure to work with … and the superintendents that I worked with starting with Rod Harvey.”
Harvey was an interim superintendent in 2003-04. Wells also was on the board during the superintendent stints of Peter Tuana (2004-10), Dan Forbess (2010-15), Melissa Goff (2015-19) and Halliday, who has been in the job since 2020. Wells wasn’t on the board when Philip “Buzz” Brazeau served in an interim capacity in 2019-20.
Wells also mentioned all of the teachers and staff members that he’s worked with through the years. And then there have been all of those students.
“Probably the best part of being a board member is being able to see those kids walk across the stage and we get to hand them their diplomas,” Wells said.
Dealy, who has served since 2021, said it’s been a pleasure serving on the board.
“I will miss it and I won’t miss it — it just depends,” he said with a smile. “I’ve been in Philomath since 1985 so I’ve been doing this for 40 years in one way or another and it is in my soul.”
Dealy spent more than three decades in Philomath as an educator — 31 years as a full-time teacher until his retirement after the 2015-16 academic year and then as a substitute teacher until his election to the board.
Superintendent of Schools Susan Halliday presented Wells and Dealy with wooden boxes that featured the school district’s logo and the words, “To honor your service to education” and “Thank you for your dedication to our students and staff” along with their names and years of service.
The room followed with a round of applause.
Mayor Christopher McMorran attended the meeting and had kind words for Wells and Dealy.
“I just wanted to say thank you to you both for playing such a big role in my life and in the lives of so many students in Philomath. You’ll be missed but I hope you enjoy not having to be here anymore,” he said with a smile.
Klipfel also spoke during the public comments portion of the meeting and expressed his thanks for Wells and Dealy. Klipfel and Wells served together on the board in the past.
“I don’t need to tell anyone in this room how demanding the role is and how stressful it can be but of course how vital and crucial it is to our community and to this school district,” Klipfel said, later adding, “Rick and I have been through many thick-and-thin things together and I have the deepest respect for what you’ve done here.”
The three board members who will continue terms — Erin Gudge, Sandi Hering and Ryan Cheeke — also had farewell comments.
“My genuine, deep heartfelt thank you to Joe and Rick for all of the service, the hours you put in, but more than the time and service, the heart that you have put in to work on the board,” Gudge said.
“Rick, my friend, thank you — you have been so supportive and such a mentor for me through this process … I know you put your heart and soul into being on the School Board,” Hering said.
“I’ll echo that — and thank you, too,” Cheeke said. “I know I see Rick all the time and I’m sure I’ll run into Joe.”
Klipfel and McMullen will be sworn in as board members at a July 7 meeting in the PHS Community Conference Room. The same evening, it is anticipated that the board will choose its officers and set its regular monthly meeting dates.
