The Tahoma School Board is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy on the board, following the resignation of longtime director Bill Clausmeyer, who is stepping down on March 1 for personal reasons.
Applicants must be registered voters in the Tahoma School District and must reside in Director District 2. The person selected to fill the vacancy will serve until a new director is elected by Tahoma voters in the November general election. For the application packet, click here.
At its regular business meeting on Jan. 8, the School Board formally accepted Clausmeyer’s resignation and then discussed and agreed upon a replacement process and timeline. The School Board adopted an application form that is posted on the Tahoma website. The board also set a timeline for advertising the opening, accepting applications, screening and interviewing applicants, and making a final selection. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 1.
The timeline includes additional days for application screening, interviews, and selection if necessary. Questions about the board vacancy can be directed to the Tahoma Communications Office.
Clausmeyer in December let the rest of the board know that he would be resigning. He has served on the board for 21.5 years. Six weeks after he joined the board, his wife was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
“Seven years or so ago, the challenges of her condition and my duties as her caregiver started to increasingly impinge on my available time. I am most grateful to all of my colleagues who have been most generous in making accommodations for my needs.”
“Just shy of two years ago, Pam’s path took a serious downward spiral; 18 months ago her condition became such that she had to move to a nursing home. I had thought that knowing she would be safe and in caring hands, my time would be freer. While I don’t worry as much as I once did about her care needs, I find her emotional needs to be even more demanding. She so looks forward to my daily visits and is distressed when I am unable to make it. Like everyone else, I have to work to pay the bills. I go see Pam immediately afterwards. Every night I am in District fulfilling a Board obligation, is a day I am unable to visit Pam.”
“I have come to the difficult decision that is time for me to give up this work,” Clausmeyer said. He noted that if the Board selects a new member sooner, he will yield his position before March 1.
