Twenty-four Idahoans – including a mayor, a college trustee and two former legislators – have applied for the lone vacant position on the State Board of Education.
The opening was created last month when former board member Ken Edmunds was appointed director of the Idaho Department of Labor.
The application window closed at the end of the day Monday, and Gov. Butch Otter’s office supplied the list of candidates to Idaho Education News on Wednesday afternoon.
Otter’s office did not immediately provide background or biographical information on the applicants.
However, the list of applicants includes the following names:
- Laird Stone, a former State Board member who now serves as one of five trustees for the College of Southern Idaho. Stone’s term with CSI is not set to expire until 2016.
- Wendy Jaquet, a former Democratic state representative from Ketchum. Jacquet served nine terms in the House and was a member of the budget-writing Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.
- Gregory Lanting, mayor of Twin Falls.
- Dale Wheeler, Nampa, who served on the Nampa School Board until he lost his reelection bid in May.
- Milt Erhart, a former Republican state representative.
- Debbie Critchfield, the community relations manager for the Cassia County School District and a former school board chairwoman.
The list supplied by Otter’s office also includes a Brian Sigliano of Boise. An online directory search of Boise telephone books did not return a listing for Brian Sigliano. However, Brian Scigliano of Boise serves on the Idaho Public Charter School Commission and the Idaho Commission on Human Rights.
Otter’s office did not immediately respond to a request for clarification of Sigliano’s application.
Otter will appoint Edmunds’ successor, and the Senate must confirm the appointment during the 2014 legislative session.
The complete list of applicants provided by Otter’s office includes:
- Courtney Abenroth, Burley.
- Jerry Baltzell, Post Falls.
- Helen Brown, Buhl.
- Dennis Cartwright, Nampa.
- Debbie Critchfield, Oakley.
- Milt Erhart, Garden City.
- Gary Garnand, Twin Falls.
- Helena Hanson, Boise.
- Wendy Jaquet, Ketchum.
- Gregory Lanting, Twin Falls.
- James Magnuson, Coeur d’Alene.
- Anthony Martinez, Nampa.
- Fred Ostermeyer, Post Falls.
- Afton Patrick, Twin Falls.
- Julia Robinson, Boise.
- Robert Sanchez, Nampa.
- Brian Sigliano, Boise.
- Laird Stone, Twin Falls.
- Jill Tesulov, Rathdrum.
- Dick Vester, Wallace.
- Michell Vos, Boise.
- Dale Wheeler, Nampa.
- Andrew Whipple, St. Maries.
- Alejandro Zamora, Caldwell.
