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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW 'Sorry About That' book expands ... Fallen tree debris at Howard Prairie is being used to create habitat for infant wild coho ... Ashland to purchase Acid Rock Castles ... 'Sorry About That' book expands ... Fallen tree debris at Howard Prairie is being used to create habitat for infant wild coho ... Ashland to purchase Acid Rock Castles ... OUR VIEW Our View: With six you may get problems Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Aug. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News There once was a lightweight family comedy starring Doris Day and Brian Keith called "With Six You Get Eggroll," about a couple with a blended family of four kids. The Medford School Board, faced with two former members and one newcomer seeking appointment to a vacancy, has decided that six is a fine number. We're not so sure. The vacancy on the seven-member school board occurred when Janet Lightheart resigned in June after a year in office to move to Idaho with her family. Three candidates — former board members Kim Wallan and Cynthia Wright and Jacksonville Elementary School parent Patricia Hubbert — applied for the vacancy. The board interviewed them July 8. At a subsequent meeting, with all three candidates sitting in the audience, the six remaining board members decided not to fill the vacancy and operate with six members until voters choose a permanent replacement in the May 2017 election. State law says school boards are to declare and fill vacancies when they occur, but provides no penalty for districts that don't. An Oregon School Boards Association representative says it's not unusual for boards to leave a position vacant until the next election. That would be one thing if the vacancy occurred closer to the election. But even so, whoever is elected in May won't begin serving until July 1 under the law. In other words, the board will operate with only six members for more than a year. The biggest problem with a six-member board is there is no way to break a 3-3 tie vote. It's conceivable that an important decision could be go unresolved under that scenario. Another potential problem is the lack of a quorum — the minimum number of board members needed to conduct business. Four members constitute a quorum whether there are six or seven members, but six means a meeting will be canceled if three members are not present. In addition, as veteran board member Larry Nicholson pointed out, it's possible there could be four new members after the next election. Nicholson and Tricia Prendergast are not seeking re-election, and Jeff Thomas, who is running for county commissioner, might not run again as well. Adding the vacant position, that could mean four new members starting next July 1, with a steep learning curve. Thomas says any of the three applicants would have been a good choice for the vacancy, but the six remaining members voted 4-2 not to make that choice. One member suggested it would have been a "controversial, divisive process" to choose one of the three applicants, and other board members said the meeting in which the candidates were interviewed was awkward. Awkward, controversial moments are bound to happen on any deliberative body. But a board designed to have seven members generally functions better at full strength. Maybe they should have sent out for eggrolls. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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