By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa Community School Board held a regular meeting last night and appointed a new board member to fill the vacant seat left by the resignation of former board member Charlie Comfort.

The board appointed former OCSD board member Sharma Parlett on a 4-2 vote. Board members Matt Sherlock, Aaron Hinnah, Sarah Hall, and Amanda McGraw voted for Parlett, while board members Kathy Butler and Clint O’Day voted for Scott Van Veldhuizen, the only other candidate to officially receive a nomination by the board.

The vote means that the decision on a new school board member will not go to a special election. Iowa code stipulates that school boards have 30 days to fill a vacancy via appointment before they are required to conduct a special election, and last night’s board meeting falls within the 30-day window of Comfort’s resignation, which was made effective on May 14. At the board’s previous meeting, superintendent Mike Fisher noted that such an election could cost the district about $10,000.

Board member Aaron Hinnah justified his support of Parlett by saying that his main criteria for the ideal candidate is similar to what it would be for other walks of life.

Board member Amanda McGraw was the only board member to change her vote from the meeting on May 27. She said that recent events had taken a toll.

Sharma Parlett will fill the vacant seat for the remainder of its term, which lasts through 2025.

The next regular meeting for the Oskaloosa School Board will be held on July 8.