Voter Pushes to Unseat Just-Appointed Trustee

A Lake Forest resident is challenging Saddleback Valley Unified School District’s appointment of a trustee and is calling for a special election.

Lois Shefflette notified the Orange County Department of Education she has started a petition drive to unseat Trustee Nancy Kirkpatrick, who was unanimously appointed last week to the five-member board.

Although she has no children or grandchildren attending school in the district, Shefflette said she initiated the drive for a special election because she is a concerned citizen who felt the need to get involved in her local schools.

“I think the citizens have a right to vote to decide who gets on the school board,” said Shefflette, 67. “I think we need the democratic process.”

Kirkpatrick, 42, was appointed to fill the vacancy left when Trustee Bobbee Cline resigned last month. The four remaining board members chose her from a pool of 12 candidates to serve the remainder of Cline’s term, which ends in November 1998.

News of the petition drive angered Trustee Marcia L. Birch who had pushed for an appointment to the vacant position because a special election would cost the district up to $159,000 in general funds otherwise slated for the classroom.

“I was surprised and extremely disappointed,” Birch said Thursday of the petition. “I feel sickened. . . . There is just no logic in this to me.”

To force a special election, Shefflette has until 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 to turn in 1,695 petition signatures to the Department of Education. Valid signatures must be from registered voters who live in the district.

If the petition drive is successful, Kirkpatrick would have to step down from the board and a special election would be scheduled for November or December of this year, said Judy Bolton, a Department of Education manager.