The Santa Barbara County Board of Education voted Tuesday to begin the process to fill the vacancy created by the midterm resignation of board member Peter MacDougall.
After serving on the board for 16 years, Dr. MacDougall recently announced his resignation. His seat is up for election in 2024.
A subcommittee of the board will meet to review a timeline for the appointment process, finalize an application and develop interview questions, according to the county education office. The application will go up Aug. 8 at www.sbceo.org on and will be due by 5 p.m. Aug. 17.
Applicants must reside in the trustee area boundaries that were in place when Dr. MacDougall was last elected. That would be Trustee Area No. 2, covering a portion of South County. (The trustee areas have since been redrawn. Today’s boundaries are slightly different.)
Selected candidates will be invited to be interviewed, according to a news release. The board expects to make a provisional appointment at its regularly scheduled board meeting on Sept. 1.
“Dr. MacDougall has been an incredible colleague and invaluable member of the County Board of Education,” Judy Frost, the board president, said in a news release. “His experience, perspectives and insights will be greatly missed. We thank and appreciate him for his many years of service to our board, and for his long-standing commitment to the advancement of public education in Santa Barbara County. He is truly one-of-a-kind, and we wish him and his wife, Leslie, the very best in this next chapter.”
Ms. Frost has known Dr. MacDougall for 20 years and worked by his side as volunteers on other boards.
Dr. MacDougall said it has been a privilege and honor to serve as a board member.
“In my lifetime, I have had the opportunity to lead and volunteer in many capacities in service to students and educators,” Dr. MacDougall said in the news release. “My belief in the power of excellent public education is as strong as it has ever been, but I feel now is the right time to step aside and let others lean into the important work of ensuring that our schools have the support they need to help every student meet their potential as they strive toward college, career and, a meaningful life ahead. I will miss my friends and colleagues at SBCEO but feel confident that the organization is in excellent hands under the leadership of Dr. Susan Salcido, her team, and my devoted fellow board members.”
County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Susan Salcido said she holds the deepest respect for Dr. MacDougall. “He is the epitome of service and leadership, and we are forever grateful for the time, thought and energy he brought to the County Board of Education,” Dr. Salcido said. “His life’s work is beyond admirable, and we will all miss the wisdom and the experience he brought to his role. His legacy is that of an exceptional leader and generous volunteer. We are all incredibly grateful for his service.”
Dr. MacDougall served as the president of Santa Barbara City College from 1981 to 2002. He has been involved extensively as a community volunteer, serving as either the CEO or board chair of various organizations.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
