Eleven candidates are vying for a vacant seat on the Forest Lake Area School Board following the resignation of member Luke Hagglund on October 24, 2023. The school board will conduct interviews with the applicants next week to determine his successor.
The candidates include Glen Berg, Andi Courneya, Scot Doboszenski, Princesa Hansen, Paul Pease, Jeff Peterson, Kenneth Rutford, Tom Schulzetenberg, Jim Smith, and Daniel Tuott. Additionally, Laura Ndirangu, who previously ran for a board position in the 2024 election, will also be interviewed. Ndirangu secured nearly 11.8% of the vote in that election, placing fifth behind current board member Tessa Antonsen, who received 12.2%.
The special board meeting for the interviews is scheduled for Wednesday at 17:00 local time, with each interview lasting approximately 20 minutes. Following the interviews, the board will divide into two sub-committees to select up to two candidates for final consideration during a meeting on Thursday.
Once a candidate is selected, there will be a 30-day waiting period before the appointment is finalized on January 3, 2024. The newly appointed member will undergo an orientation from December 5, 2023, to January 5, 2024, with a ceremonial oath planned for the board meeting on January 8.
Hagglund’s resignation was prompted by his decision to move out of the district. Initially, there was a proposal by School Board Chairman Curt Rebelein to appoint Doboszenski directly to the vacancy. This plan faced controversy as it was revealed that Hagglund intended to vote on the appointment prior to his resignation becoming effective. An attorney for Education Minnesota raised concerns about the legality of the vote, prompting the board to reconsider their approach and schedule a special meeting to discuss the process for filling the vacancy.
The new board member will serve for the duration of the board’s term through the 2026 calendar year.
