Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Castaic Trustees to Decide How to Fill School Board Seat

Trustees will decide today how to fill the vacancy created by board member Bruce Fox’s resignation on Dec. 17.

Fox, the second trustee to step down from the Castaic Union School District board in two months, resigned after moving from Castaic into Santa Clarita’s Valencia community to be closer to his in-laws while raising his son.

State law requires trustees to live in the school district they serve. Trustee Jane Pederson resigned from the Castaic board Oct. 18, two months before her term was to expire.

Fox, 29, was elected in November, 1991, to a four-year term. Whoever fills the position will serve the remaining two years.

A school board has 60 days to fill a vacant seat, either by appointment or special election. Trustees are scheduled to meet at 4:30 p.m. today at Castaic Elementary School to decide the issue.

“Traditionally, the district has always filled by provisional appointment,” Supt. Scott Brown said.

The practice of appointing someone saves the district the expense of hosting a special election, which Brown estimated would cost $14,000 to $20,000.

If trustees opt to appoint someone to the open seat, they will solicit letters of interest from Castaic residents and conduct public interviews of the candidates. The new trustee must be named by mid-February and will take the oath of office 30 days later.

Pederson’s vacancy was filled by the regular November election that brought incumbent Irene Massey and newcomers Dirk Gosda and Nora Emmons into office.