JERRY CITY – Jeremie Pennington, after coming up short twice at the polls, has earned a seat on the Elmwood Local Schools Board of Education.

Pennington was appointed Monday to fill the board seat left vacant with the departure of David Lee.

Pennington was a candi date for the board in 2019 and 2021. In 2021, he placed third behind incumbent Brian King and Lee.

In 2019, he placed fourth for three open seats. Incumbents were re-elected to those seats.

Pennington will have the option to retain his seat in 2023.

“I want to be able to help people and be active in the community,” he said.

Pennington, who lives in Wayne, moved into the district nearly 20 years ago and has one child who is a junior and two who have graduated. His wife, Renee, is an Elmwood graduate.

He said with his kids being older, he is no longer coaching baseball or football.

“This is the next best way” to stay involved, he said.

As product manager for Mid-Wood Inc. on Ohio 281, he said his skills will be a benefit on the board, as will another set of eyes with new ideas.

Pennington is still concerned about the lack of space as the Elmwood community, which he expressed in 2019.

“I think as our school continued to grow, at some point that will definitely be an issue that has to be addressed,” he said.

Pennington had no comment on the ongoing debate over whether students should be shown R-rated movies in class. He added he has had parents tell him they liked the opportunity for their child be exposed to real-life scenarios.

“I think the board’s done a pretty good job,” he said. “They’ve addressed issues as they’ve been received.”

Four candidates were interviewed in executive session Monday. The other three were Kerry Nietz, Nolan Wickard and Stephen Shafer.

“It was tough. Every one of those interviewed … any one of those would have made a really good board member,” said board President Debbie Reynolds Wednesday.

During the meeting, community member and former board candidate Bill Zimmerman questioned the system used to pick the candidates.

Superintendent Tony Borton said 12 people requested applications, eight were returned and four were interviewed.

“There really are no criteria in deciding who to interview,” Borton said.

Reynolds said each board member looked over all the applications, then numbered them in order of preference. The four with the most points were interviewed.

Reynolds said some members wanted to interview fewer candidates and some wanted more, so she picked the middle.

She said Pennington’s desire to serve the school system stood out to her.

“He has worked tirelessly to become a board member,” Reynolds said, alluding to his two previous attempts at the polls and the number of votes he received. “That spoke to me and said, if that many people are choosing him to be their board representative, I listen.”

King said if the board had not made the decision, it would have fallen to the Wood County Probate Court judge.

Zimmerman said it should have been a community decision.

“I would not want to be sitting in your seats to make that decision,” he said.

He said he would have applied but didn’t think the process was fair.

Zimmerman placed fourth, right behind Pennington, in the 2021 school board race.

Pennington said when he learned Lee has resigned, he contacted the central office and got an application.

He suggested interviewing all candidates if another board seat becomes open.

If the board is put in this position again, Reynolds said she would recommend following that suggestion.

“As he was speaking, I thought, you know, you’re right,” Reynolds said about Zimmerman’s comments.

She said she enjoyed the process and learning each candidate’s vision and what they felt the needs of the community were. She encouraged everyone who applied to run for election in two years.

“The fact that so many were interested in serving on the board was encouraging,” Reynolds said.