The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board has a new board president, but two no votes were cast in the process.  Michelle Fullhart was elected board president with Sylvia Shepler and Brad Boyer voting no – Fullhart, Julie Chambers, Janet Pritchett and Clint Wilson voted yes.  Board member Amanda Shera did not attend Wednesday’s board meeting due to a family emergency, Shepler said before the vote.  Based on this vote, Fullhart will serve as board president for the remainder of 2019.

Acting board president Shepler opened the meeting and indicated that Fullhart was seeking the board presidency, but Shepler was also looking to serve as permanent board president for the rest of this calendar year.

“Because we, as a board, have had our struggles in the past months unifying and finding common ground, I would strongly urge my fellow board members to wait to make this decision until all board members can be present,” Shepler said at the start of the board meeting.

Then, the newest board member, Clint Wilson, said he appreciated Shepler’s comments, but wants a full slate of officers, so Wilson nominated Fullhart as president, and the 4-2 vote approving her as president followed.

Janet Pritchett will serve as board secretary, as part of that 4-2 vote.

Shepler was vice president when board President Mike Bottorff resigned in late May.  She has served as acting board president since Bottorff’s resignation up until Wednesday night’s vote placing Fullhart with the president’s gavel.

(Note:  I made a math error in the original story….I wrote the vote was 5-2, but with six board members present, that is mathematically impossible.  The vote was 4-2)