Trustee recall effort afoot in Caldwell

A group of Caldwell residents has launched a recall drive against two trustees who had a hand in the ouster of district Superintendent Tim Rosandick.

The Idaho Press-Tribune reported Tuesday about the recall effort against board members Leif Skyving and Amy Rojas.

Rosandick square
Former Caldwell Superintendent Tim Rosandick

“Tim Rosandick didn’t want to leave the district,” Russ Beardsley, a member of the committee pushing the recall, told the Press-Tribune. “Leif and Amy have always had a significant distaste for Tim.”

Rosandick and deputy superintendent Luci Asumendi were forced out on June 15, under unexplained circumstances. They will remain on through June 30, in what the district has called a consulting role, and both will receive pay raises in 2015-16. Curriculum director Jodie Mills has been promoted to acting superintendent.

Skyving and Rojas were two of the three trustees who voted to oust Rosandick and Asumendi. Thomas Briten also voted for the change, but has not been named in the recall. Board Chairman Chuck Stout voted against the changes.

A recall effort could keep the controversy over the Caldwell shakeup brewing for months. Under state law, recall organizers have 75 days to gather signatures needed to place a recall election on the ballot.

In other Caldwell School Board news, candidate Toni Waters is dropping plans to contest her narrow loss in May, the Idaho Statesman reported Tuesday.

Waters lost to Briten by four votes, but five ballots were improperly given to voters outside her zone. Waters told the Statesman she decided against spending the thousands of dollars necessary to contest the result.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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