Plumas County Office of Education Superintendent Andrea Ceresola-White announced on June 2 that a special election will be held to fill the vacant District 5 board seat, with voting scheduled for November 4 alongside the general election. District 5 covers East Quincy, Graeagle, and Whitehawk, and the seat was previously held by Leslie Edlund, who resigned in March, leaving a term that would have ended in 2026.
Current board members were unable to reach a majority to appoint a new member, leading to the decision for a special election. Two candidates have emerged: Keith Barnett, a building construction contractor, and Matthew De La Montanya, a California Highway Patrol officer.
The appointment process faced challenges, as an initial vote on May 12 resulted in a 2-to-1 decision in favor of Barnett, but was invalid due to the absence of one board member. A subsequent vote on May 14 ended in a 2-to-2 deadlock, with Cindy Crim and Chelsea Harrison supporting Barnett, while Joleen Cline and JoDee Johnson backed De La Montanya.
Ceresola-White sought guidance from Interim PUSD Superintendent Jim Frost, who indicated that she could either make an appointment or call for an election. She opted for the latter.
For the election process to proceed, the school board must pass a resolution requesting the special election, and the Plumas County Board of Supervisors must also approve it. Marcy DeMartile, the Plumas County clerk-recorder, stated that additional information regarding the special election would be released once these steps are completed.
The next school board meeting is set for June 18 at 4:00 pm in the district office in Quincy, where the superintendent is expected to present the resolution for the special election. Additionally, a public listening session with the Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team will occur on June 17 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Quincy Jr. Sr. High School cafeteria, allowing community input on the qualities desired in the district administrator who will oversee recovery efforts. Live streaming of this session will be available online.
The post Plumas County to Hold Special Election for Vacant District 5 School Board Seat appeared first on SierraDailyNews.com.
