Keogh appointed to Kootenai school board

Kootenai County Commissioners appointed Mark Keogh last week to serve on the Kootenai School District Board of Trustees.

School trustees serve by election to set terms, and when a position opens mid-term for whatever reason, it is generally filled by a person appointed by the remaining board members. Under Idaho law, if a position remains vacant for more than 120 days, the task of appointing a new trustee falls to the local county commissioners.

After Kayleen Walker resigned from the Kootenai school board for personal reasons, the district advertised its Zone 1 opening for 90 days with no letters of interest submitted. The district then opened up the position to residents district-wide for 30 days. Again, they had no luck, so it went to the commissioners.

Two letters of interest were submitted to the commissioners, but one applicant withdrew from consideration.

Keogh, of St. Maries, informed the commissioners that while he lives outside of the zone he will represent, five of his children attend school within the district. He also told the commissioners that he desired the position to promote awareness about implementing better school policies concerning impact testing for head concussions. Keogh is a U.S. Army veteran who served from 1985 to 1988, and has worked as a forestry technician, a mechanic and a variety of positions at the Potlatch Corp. in St. Maries.