ELY – School Board members here continue to search for a part-time superintendent after failing to agree, during a special meeting last Thursday, that the four candidates interviewed earlier this month were worthy of further consideration.

The board decided to repost the position for two more weeks with the hope that additional candidates would decide to throw their hat in the ring for consideration for the .6 FTE job.

After four years at the post, Superintendent Kevin Abrahamson has made clear his intention of resigning his position at the end of his contract on June 30. He also indicated to the board that he is willing to stay on in a temporary basis to assist the school district with the transition to a new top administrator.

Board members discussed at length the merits of the four candidates, Kevin Ricke, Steve Thomas, Beth Zietz and Bruce Houck, they interviewed May 1-2 from a pool of eight applicants.

On Thursday, they were looking for consensus to bring at least two candidates back for a second interview but could not agree. It appeared that most of the board members did prefer Ricke above all the other candidates.

Board members ultimately agreed to tweak their re-posted job application requirement from candidates possessing state licensure as a superintendent, to candidates being able to obtain a license by this fall. Board members were hoping the adjustment would open up the pool of applicants who may be interested in applying for the job.

“As I look at our needs here,” said board chair Ray Marsnik, “our facilities will be a big issue, along with the possibility of a bonding referendum, and perhaps some (academic) collaboration with other school districts.”

He said he would support any decision that the board agreed on as far as conducting second interviews of the four candidates. “However, I myself would like to look at other candidates,” Marsnik added. “ I think that the message we got from our extended committee and our principals was that they preferred to look at other candidates.”

Marsnik pushed for the board to consider another applicant for the job that was screened but dismissed because of his lack of a state superintendent’s license. “I would really like to look at this “Candidate H” before the board makes any decision,” he said.

“This candidate (H) called me and I was very impressed with what he had to say,” he continued. “Since my conversation with him, there were a number of staff people here who know this individual personally and professionally, and hold him in very high regard.”

Marsnik indicated that he also talked to other people outside of the district about the applicant.

The problem with the candidate is that he is not currently licensed to hold a superintendent position in Minnesota. “I’m sure that’s the reason that nobody here even bothered to rate him among the qualified candidates,” Marsnik said.

To get around that situation, Marsnik said he talked with Abrahamson about a “pathway” to bring Candidate H on board as a superintendent in Ely. Apparently, the candidate only needs to complete a 320-hour practicum term to meet the requirements for licensure.

Abrahamson indicated that Candidate H, contacted him about the Ely job. “He asked me if I would be willing to mentor him during his practicum and I told him I would. I only know him professionally.” Abrahamson said that that 320-hour practicum could be completed in as little as eight weeks.

Marsnik said that a staff member told him that Candidiate H knows Ely, “and spends a lot of time in Ely.”

A motion made by Tony Colarich and seconded by Tom Omerza to interview Candidate H failed on a 3-3 vote.

Discussion continued on the legality and fairness of reposting the position with adjusted requirements. “I want to understand this board’s direction on how we are looking at this position,” said board member Rochelle Sjoberg, who is a human resources official at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital. “Are now saying that we are changing those requirements?” she asked.

Sjoberg pushed the board to maintain a consistent process in their search for a superintendent. “If we are going to reopen the door, then we need invite any candidate that may not have a license but is close to qualifying,” she said. “This exclusivity for one candidate, I’m just not comfortable with.”

Marsnik took issue with Sjoberg’s inference that he was pushing for just the one candidate. “If you heard my statement, I think I did say that this candidate or any others (could be) considered,” he said. “You are sort of inferring that I am pushing for just one candidate, and that is just not true.”

Board members agreed, on a 5-1 vote, to repost the position with the qualifications changed to indicate that candidates must have the ability to obtain a state superintendent license by Oct. 1.

They also agreed to notify the four candidates they interviewed four weeks ago that the school district is reposting the position.