Moscow Charter school board member John Menter was elected Idaho School Boards Association president Friday morning.
The election culminated ISBA’s annual convention held over three days in Coeur d’Alene. More than 400 school board members from almost every district and charter school in Idaho attended the event.
Menter won a three-way race against West Ada’s Mike Vuittonet and Boise’s A.J. Balukoff. (Click here to read more about Menter).
Menter will become the first charter board member to serve in this leadership role. Charters only last year were permitted to join the ISBA as full voting members.
“I will continue to ensure the ISBA remains the voice for all Idaho children and highlight what is best for Idaho education,” said Menter, emphasizing he plans to equally represent students from charters and districts.
The membership had to vote twice for president because bylaws require the winner to earn more than 50 percent of the votes. On the first ballot, Menter earned about 45 percent of the vote, Vuittonet captured about 27 percent and Balukoff earned 26 percent.
The second election was between the top two finalists — Menter and Vuittonet. Menter received about 60 percent of the vote.
Menter spent 12 years on the Troy School District board before losing an election earlier this year. The Moscow Charter then named him to its board. He was the ISBA vice president in 2014 and president-elect in 2015. Both positions serve on the executive committee.
Vuittonet has served on the West Ada board for 15 years and has been an ISBA region chair and vice chair.
Balukoff, an 18-year Boise school trustee, was not at the annual event because of a family vacation. He taped a video message played before the election. Balukoff, a Democrat, ran for governor last year and lost to Gov. Butch Otter.
In other races, Weiser’s Marg Chipman was named president-elect and Jim Stoor of Soda Springs was named vice president. Both ran unopposed.
Chipman, a retired rancher, has been on the Weiser board for 22 years. Stoor has served his district for 12 years. He graduated from Soda Springs High School.
