Former candidate seeks seat on school board

COEUR d'ALENE - A candidate who narrowly lost election in 2009 to the Coeur d'Alene school board, is now seeking appointment to the position for which he ran.

Jim Purtee submitted a letter of interest Wednesday to the school district's board of trustees asking that he be considered to fill the Zone 1 seat now held by Edie Brooks.

Brooks, who defeated Purtee by seven votes in the May 2009 election, announced her resignation May 19.

In his letter, Purtee told trustees that the slim election margin indicates that the voters were divided, and that it is "only right that you seek interest in the position from the runner up in that election."

"To do otherwise is to discount the votes of those citizens who were voting for change in the board," he wrote.

Trustees will interview candidates on Monday, so Friday is the last day for letters of interest to be submitted. By Tuesday, Purtee's letter was the only one received by the board.

Purtee also submitted several reference letters from community members who support his appointment.

"He came within seven votes of winning the last trustee election against the very capable, respected, and long-serving incumbent, Edie Brooks," penned Jim and Terri Addis.

To come so close, the couple wrote, shows there is support for Purtee in Zone 1. Letters recommending Purtee for the position were submitted from Jim Elder and James Ballew also.

An entrepreneur with several decades of experience in the advertising and restaurant industries, Purtee retired and relocated to Coeur d'Alene from Texas in 2008.

He purchased a downtown restaurant, Jimmy's Down the Street, 13 months ago.

"I hope that the current board will put aside personal preconceptions, unhealthy lobbying efforts and any feelings of a need to rush to fill the vacated trustee position," Purtee wrote.

Brooks told the board that she is stepping down because she recently married and is moving to Genesee, in Latah County. She will remain in the position until June 30.

After the trustees accepted Brooks' resignation, they formally declared a trustee vacancy.

Karen Echeverria, director of the Idaho School Boards Association, told The Press that this is in accordance with the state's education law regarding school board vacancies.

"It just has to be within 30 days of whenever any trustee dies or resigns," Echeverria said.

Idaho Code requires that the board appoint a qualified candidate who lives in Zone 1 within 90 days of the declaration of the vacancy.

Zone 1 is District 271's largest trustee zone, covering the entire area east of 15th Street from the school district's northern to southern boundaries.

Brooks served as Coeur d'Alene school board trustee from 1996 to 2004, in the Zone 4 seat. She was elected to the Zone 1 seat in 2006, and re-elected to that position in 2009.

The newly appointed trustee will serve until the annual meeting in July 2013.

The appointed trustee will have to win a May 2013 election to remain in the position.