USD 489 School Board met for a work session on Monday night. They did go into executive session to discuss issues. Board chair Darren Schumacher told Eagle News that they did not discuss what to do about school board candidate Josh Waddell. Waddell was elected to the school board in last week’s election. He received the 2nd most votes but was not legally qualified to serve because he had not been registered to vote in Ellis County.
Under Kansas law, the board of education consists of seven members elected by the majority vote of the registered voters in the local school district. School board elections are held in April of those years when a Board member’s term expires. Candidates, who must be citizens of the district, run for school board office without political affiliation. Board members are elected to staggered terms of four years; new members take office on July 1. Board members serve without pay.
Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus said she had contacted Waddell about registering to vote but, according to Maskus, Waddell did not register in Ellis County until last Friday.
The USD 489 board will meet again next Monday.