New trustees seek slowdown

COEUR d'ALENE - School trustees-elect Tom Hamilton and Terri Seymour have asked the Coeur d'Alene School District's Board of Trustees to slow down as they move toward appointing a new board member.

Hamilton and Seymour, who will not take office until July, sent a letter Thursday to the board.

"It appears the board is unnecessarily rushing the appointment process," they wrote.

Board chair Edie Brooks, whose term runs through June 2013, announced her resignation May 19, two days after Hamilton and Seymour won election to trustee seats in Zones 2 and 3. Brooks holds the Zone 1 seat, and will serve until June 30.

The board is interviewing candidates on Monday, and will likely appoint a new trustee on Monday.

"The board's reasoning for this expedited process has not been presented, and in the absence of some compelling need, it can reasonably be assumed that the intention is to exclude us, the newly elected trustees, from the process," wrote Hamilton and Seymour. "We wish to make clear our desire to be included, so that we can start to build a foundation for cooperation among the trustees."

Hamilton and Seymour also expressed concern that potential candidates were not given sufficient time to consider whether to seek appointment.

Brooks told The Press that the board won't wait to make a decision, and that she will help select the appointee.

"It's my seat that's being filled, and I really have an interest that someone who thinks close to I think takes my seat," Brooks said. "Everything we're doing is legal."

Hamilton ran against incumbent Stephanie Powers for the Zone 2 seat. Powers was appointed in June 2010. She filled a vacancy left by Vern Newby.

Seymour won the Zone 3 seat in a race against Greg Rod. She will replace Bill Hemenway, who chose not to seek re-election.