Board of Education Fills Vacancy
Education activist David Graves was selected and sworn in Tuesday (Jan. 24, 2006) to fill a school board vacancy created when Sharon Robinson-Briggs became mayor Jan. 1 and had to step down from the board.
Graves will serve until April 18, when the annual school board election takes place. He said last week he has not decided whether to seek a full three-year term, but he has until Feb. 27 to file if he chooses to run.
Graves won in a 5-3 vote, with board Vice President Agurs Linward “Lenny” Cathcart Jr. taking part by telephone from out of town. Cathcart, board President Martin Cox and members Patricia Barksdale, Bridget Rivers and Vickey Sheppard voted “yes” and members Lisa Logan-Leach, Wilma Campbell and Rev. Tracey Brown voted “no.”
The votes in the same configuration went against Reno Wilkins, a mechanical engineer with the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority who cited his background in science, mathematics and technology as qualifications to serve. Wilkins also said he is a problem-solver and cited community service with the Neighborhood House, the Little League, Cub Scouts and the Police Athletic League board.
Graves said he attends almost every board meeting and has served on school parent-teacher groups and district advisory boards. He said he has run twice previously for the school board.
A third candidate, Rasheed Abdul-Haqq, was disqualified because he did not meet the requirement to appear for a public interview with the board. Abdul-Haqq said last week he filed for both the vacancy and the three-year term before undergoing knee surgery, which kept him from appearing for the interview.
Three three-year terms are up this year. Incumbent Lisa Logan-Leach’s term ends in April, as does that of Patricia Barksdale, who won the balance of Bishop Herbert Bright’s term last April. The seat filled temporarily by Graves is the third term up for grabs.
Before the vote, Sheppard grilled the two about their willingness to take extra classes on budget making and Rivers asked each how they would contribute to increasing harmony on the board. Both candidates said they would take the classes.
Wilkins said he would use his listening skills to work toward the best solutions of board issues. Graves said he is a consensus builder and would take all members’ opinions into account.
After the vote, Graves was sworn in by district business administrator and immediately took his seat on the board.
Graves will serve until April 18, when the annual school board election takes place. He said last week he has not decided whether to seek a full three-year term, but he has until Feb. 27 to file if he chooses to run.
Graves won in a 5-3 vote, with board Vice President Agurs Linward “Lenny” Cathcart Jr. taking part by telephone from out of town. Cathcart, board President Martin Cox and members Patricia Barksdale, Bridget Rivers and Vickey Sheppard voted “yes” and members Lisa Logan-Leach, Wilma Campbell and Rev. Tracey Brown voted “no.”
The votes in the same configuration went against Reno Wilkins, a mechanical engineer with the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority who cited his background in science, mathematics and technology as qualifications to serve. Wilkins also said he is a problem-solver and cited community service with the Neighborhood House, the Little League, Cub Scouts and the Police Athletic League board.
Graves said he attends almost every board meeting and has served on school parent-teacher groups and district advisory boards. He said he has run twice previously for the school board.A third candidate, Rasheed Abdul-Haqq, was disqualified because he did not meet the requirement to appear for a public interview with the board. Abdul-Haqq said last week he filed for both the vacancy and the three-year term before undergoing knee surgery, which kept him from appearing for the interview.
Three three-year terms are up this year. Incumbent Lisa Logan-Leach’s term ends in April, as does that of Patricia Barksdale, who won the balance of Bishop Herbert Bright’s term last April. The seat filled temporarily by Graves is the third term up for grabs.
Before the vote, Sheppard grilled the two about their willingness to take extra classes on budget making and Rivers asked each how they would contribute to increasing harmony on the board. Both candidates said they would take the classes.
Wilkins said he would use his listening skills to work toward the best solutions of board issues. Graves said he is a consensus builder and would take all members’ opinions into account.
After the vote, Graves was sworn in by district business administrator and immediately took his seat on the board.
--Bernice Paglia
KEYWORDS: BOE
posted by Bernice at 11:38 PM
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