Semeja plans to leave school board

The Ely School Board may soon have a vacancy.Longtime board member Rudy Semeja is planning a move to Virginia - perhaps as soon as this summer - if a tentative deal to sell his rural Ely home goes through as expected.“Nothing is official yet,” Semeja told his fellow board members during Monday’s regular meeting. “But it’s looking pretty much like a sure thing.”Semeja, who was first elected to the board in 1996, said the sale is likely to close by Memorial Day weekend and that he’d be out of the home by July 1.And once Semeja leaves the district, he’s no longer eligible to serve on the board and would be forced to vacate his seat with well over two years remaining in a four-year term.In anticipation of Semeja’s departure, superintendent Tom Bruels told the board it’s time to talk about replacement procedures.According to Bruels, who consulted with state school board officials, the district could fill the expected vacancy in November with a special election.The election, which would be for the remaining two years in Semeja’s term, would be held in conjunction with the regular election for three four-year school board seats and the district’s excess levy referendum.But the election for Semeja’s seat would be separate from the regular school board vote in that candidates would have to declare whether they were seeking the four-year term or the single two-year seat available.In the meantime, school board members could appoint someone to fill the vacancy.Semeja said he’s addressed the issue with state officials and was told it’s not uncommon for a board to leave a seat vacant until the election.“(Appointing someone) gives them an advantage come election time if they do decide to file,” Semeja said.Board members can’t take any action until a vacancy occurs, and state law prevents Semeja from casting a vote for his replacement. Bruels indicated he’d seek clarification to determine if the board must appoint someone to fill the vacancy prior to the election.Bruels also advised board members to consider how to fill Semeja’s shoes on any of several different committees.In addition to serving on board committees, Semeja represents the district on the Ely Area Joint Powers Board.