SV School Board Member Resigns, Applicants Sought to Fill Vacancy

Following the resignation of a Saucon Valley School Board member, the school district announced Friday that it is seeking applicants to fill the vacancy on the nine-member board.

Saucon Valley Elementary School (Credit: Saucon Valley School District/FILE PHOTO)

School district superintendent Dr. Craig Butler said the board member who has resigned is Linda Leewright.

No reason for the resignation was provided.

Leewright, of Hellertown, was elected to serve a four-year term on the board in 2015, replacing longtime board member Charles Bartolet, who chose not to seek re-election.

That means her replacement for the remainder of her term will serve less than a year, unless he or she decides to run for a full term and ultimately wins election to the board.

The following are the minimum qualifications for applicants:

• Must be 18 years of age
• Must have resided in the Saucon Valley School District for at least one year
• Must fill out a Statement of Financial Interest form (click here for the fillable form or forms are available in the Saucon Valley School District Business Office)
• Must attend the Jan. 22, 2019 board meeting and speak to the board regarding your interest in the position and qualifications (five minutes maximum). After all candidates have had an opportunity to speak, the board will choose a candidate and that individual will be sworn in to the position.

Additional qualifications are listed in School District Policy 004. Appointment to the vacant position will be consistent with that policy.

Applicants should respond with a letter of interest that includes qualifications before 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, to Dr. Craig Butler, Superintendent’s Office, Saucon Valley School District, 2097 Polk Valley Road, Hellertown, PA 18055.

A total of five seats on the Saucon Valley School Board are up for re-election this year, including the seat held by Leewright and those now held by incumbents Susan Baxter, Michael Karabin, Bryan Eichfeld and Mark Sivak.

The other members of the board are Shamim Pakzad, Tracy Magnotta, Cedric Dettmar and Sandra Miller.

Pennsylvania’s municipal primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 21, and the general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5.

The first day to circulate and file nominating positions for an open seat is Tuesday, Feb. 19, and the first day to circulate and file nominating papers is Wednesday, March 13, according to information on the Pennsylvania Department of State’s website.

Board meetings are open to the public and are normally held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Saucon Valley High School Audion room.