PERRYSBURG – It’s up to one departing
school board member to decide who will select his replacement.Four remaining board members will choose
another member to replace Barry VanHoozen, the top vote-getter in the Nov. 5 city council race. Whether
current members or two new ones who take office in January will select the candidate depends on when
VanHoozen chooses to submit his resignation.The board must fill VanHoozen’s seat at least 10 days after
but within 30 days of his departure. VanHoozen said after Monday’s school board meeting that he had not
decided when to step down. He would need to resign by Dec. 21 for the current board to select the
replacement.Current members Valerie Hovland and Mark Schoenlein lost their seats in a closely-contested
race to challengers Sue Larimer and Cal Smith. Board president Gretchen Downs won re-election with the
highest number of votes, while Hovland received the most votes of those who did not claim a
position.During public participation at the end of the meeting, Mark Brunsman and former city councilor
Maria Ermie read letters in support of Hovland filling the seat."She has worked hard to keep
Perrysburg schools achieving its high standards, while keeping the cost to educate each student below
the regional average," Brunsman said. "Her decisions are based on what’s in the best interest
of the students."Ermie suggested that the board selecting its new member doesn’t make much sense on
the heels of an election in which voters just asserted their preferences."I think it would be a
disservice not to give it to that (next) highest vote-getter," she said. "In my opinion, it
would be a disservice to the voters who got to vet those candidates."Separately, the district and
its teachers have agreed to a new contract, Superintendent Tom Hosler said, after several months of
negotiations as teachers worked under an expired deal. Hosler confirmed the agreement but said he was
unable to discuss any terms until it’s approved.The two sides failed to agree on a contract during
mediation in October and were set to move to fact-finding next month. But after an impromptu additional
mediation session, the deal was reached, Hosler said.The board entered executive session to discuss
negotiations Monday night, with no action following.