By Vanessa Lenz
SLN Staff
Longtime East Troy resident Murry Mitten has been appointed to fill the vacant East Troy Community School District Board position.
The school board appointed Mitten Nov. 12 following public interviews with three candidates who applied for the position.
Mitten will serve until April of 2014, finishing the term of Steve Lambrechts.
Lambrechts resigned from his post in August after learning that he couldn’t continue to coach East Troy High School JV girls basketball while serving as a school board member.
During his personal statement, Mitten expressed his love for East Troy as a lifelong resident, coming from parents who are also lifelong residents.
“We’ve got a lot of issues coming up and I think I can help,” said Mitten.
Mitten said his family has always been involved in the community whether it was serving through St. Peter’s Church or volunteering with the Knights of Columbus.
Mitten recently served as a member of the district’s ad-hoc Facilities Advisory Committee, which spent the summer prioritizing the district’s laundry list of facilities upgrades and creating a $41 million master plan.
Mitten, a retired Air Force Col., ended his career as commander of the Wisconsin National Guard 128th Air Refueling Wing.
“I don’t shy way from making decisions,” he said.
Other candidates included Charles Harwood and Ted Zess.
Harwood, an East Troy resident since 2010, sought the office in the April 2012 election, but trailed behind Lambrechts and current school board member Martha Bresler. He said wanted to throw his hat in the ring to be fair to the nearly 900 people who voted for him in that election.
Harwood, a father of three, also said he would like to bring a parent’s perspective to the board.
Zess, owner of Allan Integrated Control Systems in East Troy and parent of three, said he could offer a wide range of experience to help the board with the difficulties it will be facing to become a District of Choice.
Zess has been an active community member, serving as a Village official in various capacities, as president of the All-Sports Booster Club, on the ad-hoc Facilities Advisory Committee and Economic Development Committee.
The three interview questions sought opinions on the district’s greatest achievements and greatest errors, what the biggest challenge facing the district is and thoughts on disagreeing with other board members.
Mitten was selected by the majority of the board via a silent ballot vote.
While it does not have a policy for school board resignations, the district said it advertised the opening to any interested East Troy Community School District resident.
Two school board seats, currently held by incumbent board president Brian Wexler and board member Dawn Buchholtz will be up for grabs in April.
For information on filing nomination papers, call the district office at 642-6710.
