News : Brendas on Board: First meeting for new school board member, board secretary

The VS School Board, with its new participants, during Monday's meeting.

Brenda Barkdoll, right, administers the oath of office to new VS School Board member Brenda Bartz.

Board President Todd Wiley administers the oath of office to new board secretary Brenda Barkdoll

The faint sound of aluminum bats colliding with baseballs echoed into the Vinton-Shellsburg administrative building as the school board convened for its monthly meeting Monday evening. Baseball practice recently began across the parking lot from the board meeting room. But inside, the board had some items on its agenda that normally take place in September.

One of the items on the agenda was officially welcoming one new participant and appointing another one.

First Board Vice-President Todd Wiley administered the oath of office to Brenda Barkdoll, the new board secretary. Barkdoll replaces Larry Stroschein, who retired this year after serving for 33 years. Barkdoll worked in the administrative offices for more than a decade before the board hired her.

One of Barkdoll's first duties as board secretary was to administer the oath of office to another Brenda: Brenda Bartz.

The board voted unanimously to appoint Bartz to replace Pat Lyons, who resigned from the Board last month. As required by Board rules, Wiley will become Board President. The board members also unanimously voted to make Rob Levis the Vice President.

Three people asked the board and Superintendent Mary Jo Hainstock to consider appointing them to the vacant seat: Barth, Ray Lough and Peter Shaw.

Board member Megan Rickels nominated Bartz; Levis then asked the three to briefly introduce themselves to the board.

After hearing from the three, the board then unanimously voted to appoint Bartz to serve on the board until the September elections. Bartz is also a first-term member of the Vinton Parks and Recreation Board who has three children enrolled in the V-S district.

Wiley thanked Lough and Shaw for expressing interest in serving and urged them to consider being candidates in the next election. He said he believed there be members on the board who choose not to see re-election in the fall.