There will be at least one new member on the Ely School Board in 2027.
That’s because two-term incumbent Tony Colarich made it known this week that he won’t seek a third term on the board.
At the tail end of Monday’s regular monthly session, Colarich spoke briefly and got right to the point.
“I will not be a candidate for re-election this year,” he said.
Colarich made the announcement well in advance of this November’s school board election and better than two months before candidate filings begin.
That was purposeful, he indicated.
“I wanted to make the announcement early, hoping that people will sign up,” said Colarich.
Three seats on the six-member board go to the voters this year.
Those are the positions now held by board chair Rochelle Sjoberg, Jen Westlund and Colarich.
All three seats carry fouryear terms and will go on the ballot in November, and a two-week candidate filing period begins July 14 and runs through July 28.
A longtime member of several city committees and commissions, Colarich made the move to school district politics in 2018, winning election that year and easily gaining a second term in the 2022 election.
While on the board, Colarich carved a reputation for being a fiscal watchdog, and has been heavily involved in facilities projects while serving on the district’s facilities committee.
“We appreciate all you have done on the board, no doubt,” Sjoberg told Colarich after the announcement.
