The city is continuing to take applications for two open spots on the Columbus Municipal School District Board of Trustees.
Three candidates — Yvonne Cox, June Leigh and James E. Samuel Sr. — have applied to replace Angela Verdell, whose second five-year term ends this month, after she opted not to apply for reappointment. The council can appoint Verdell’s replacement on Tuesday.
Two others — Willie J. Petty Sr. and Cedrick Vance — have applied to replace Currie Fisher, who resigned from the board Feb. 9 amid her second term, which expires in March 2020.
The council must advertise Fisher’s spot for at least 30 days. Mayor Robert Smith said the council will likely fill Fisher’s unexpired term during its March 20 meeting.
In the meantime, Smith said applicants can file paperwork at City Hall for consideration for Tuesday’s appointment until 5 p.m. the day of the meeting. Those applicants, however, must declare when they apply that they want to replace Verdell. Otherwise, he said, they will be placed among the applicants for the March 20 appointment to replace Fisher.
It’s unclear whether the unselected applicants on Tuesday will be automatically considered for the March 20 appointment or if they must reapply.
“I’m going to leave that up to the council,” Smith said.
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