The AUSD will fill the board vacancy left by Mary Kay Mills by provisional appointment

ATASCADERO — Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD) met in person for their regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. following their 6 p.m. Closed Session.

During his Superintendent Report, Tom Butler expressed his excitement over the start of the new school year, which kicked off on Wednesday, Aug. 17. 

“Once again, we’re looking forward to seeing all of our families and our students tomorrow and welcoming them back to a great school year,” added Butler.

The minutes from the regular Aug. 2 board meeting and the special Aug. 8 board meeting passed unanimously.

The Consent Agenda, which featured a student teacher agreement with Cal Poly and course title changes, and new course offerings at Atascadero High School, passed unanimously.

Butler presented the board with a proposed Trustee Workshop.

“We’d like to propose that the trustees consider holding a workshop to discuss our facility needs as well as state matching funds which will be used at the board’s discretion to fund future projects,” stated Butler.

The motion passed, and the Trustee Workshop will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 9 a.m.

Once again, Superintendent Butler addressed the board on whether to hold a special election in March 2023 or adopt Resolution #04-22-23 with a provisional appointment to fill the board vacancy left by Mary Kay Mills after her resignation at the beginning of the month.

At the Aug. 8 special board meeting, the AUSD Trustee Board adopted a resolution ordering a governing board member election to fill the vacancy.

“We asked for that to be consolidated with the general election, which is scheduled for Nov. 8,” Butler said. “We did submit that in a timely manner, though our county superintendent of schools as well as to the county clerk recorder’s office. At this time, that has been formally denied by the county clerk.”

The board was presented with two choices to move forward with filling the vacancy. A provisional appointment within a 60-day timeline or hold a special election.

The estimate from the County Clerk to hold a special election came in at $545,210.00. 

“If you choose to go with the appointment process, applications would be made available on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022,” Butler said. “Those applications by prospective candidates would be due Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, by 4 p.m.”

The Trustee Board approved going forward with Resolution #04-22-23 and will fill the vacancy by provisional appointment. The interviews, after the applications have been turned in, will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 5:30 p.m.

A public hearing on the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the AUSD and the California School Employees Association, Atascadero Chapter 124, was presented by Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Jackie Martin. It passed unanimously.

Following, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services E.J. Rossi gave the board an informational only Summer School Update.

The Atascadero Unified School District’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m.