Iowa City school board taking applications to fill vacancy by appointment

IOWA CITY — The Iowa City school board is looking to fill a vacancy after former board president Shawn Eyestone resigned Tuesday.

The board is taking applications, due Sept. 6, to fill the position by appointment.

Applicants will be given time to address the school board before it makes a decision Sept. 13. Iowa Code allows the school board to fill vacancies by appointment. A replacement must be appointed within 30 days of the vacancy.

The school board is choosing to appoint a school board member instead of holding a special election, which is costly to the district.

Johnson County residents could prompt a special election by filing a petition signed by at least 30 percent of the turnout of the last school board election. The petition would have to be filed within 14 days of Eyestone’s resignation.

Eyestone was first elected to the school board in 2017 and re-elected in 2019. His current term expires in 2023.

The appointed board member will serve the rest of Eyestone’s term. At that time, he or she will have the option to seek election to the board in the November 2023 election.

Officers elected

The school board earlier this month unanimously picked board vice president Ruthina Malone as board president, replacing Eyestone, earlier this month.

Malone is the “most qualified among us to be president of the board” and brings “comprehension and fairness” to her decision-making, school board member Charlie Eastham said after he nominated her for president.

Board member Lisa Williams replaced Malone as vice president in another unanimous vote.

“You bring a tremendous capability and industriousness to your work here. I think you’d make a great vice president,” Eastham said to Williams.

Eyestone’s plans

Eyestone said he is “putting my money where my mouth is” by going back to school to pursue a career as an educator, he said. His classes conflict with Tuesday school board meetings.

Eyestone shared advice for anyone thinking about seeking a school board seat now or in the future.

“Assume positive intent with each other as board members and administrators,” Eyestone said. “We’re all trying to do the best work we can to the best of our abilities.”

Eyestone said throughout his role on school board, people have accused board members of “playing politics.”

“My entire job on the board and before that, I watched them underfund schools every year,” he said. “ … Politics have been playing with schools for quite some time. It’s only fair we have to fight back in that regard.”

School board members praised Eyestone’s leadership.

“You’ve got a sense of humor, empathy and integrity,” school board member J.P. Claussen said. “Your leadership will be missed. … You listen, work to make sure people feel heard, and are respectful to community commentators.”

“Your presence is really going to be missed at this board table,” Williams said, adding that it takes “courage” to go back to school as an adult. “I’m excited for you to go down that path.”

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.co