Nampa School District trustees are expected to void hiring “Candidate A,” and formally hire Paula Kellerer as district superintendent Wednesday night.
On May 9, trustees voted unanimously to hire “Candidate A“ as Nampa’s next superintendent, without publicly identifying “Candidate A.”
The following day, Idaho Education News filed a complaint with the Canyon County prosecutor’s office alleging the district violated Idaho’s open meeting law by conducting public business in secret.
Nampa officials then issued a news release announcing Kellerer’s hire. District spokeswoman Kathleen Tuck later said Kellerer was “Candidate A.”
Trustees and district officials have denied breaking the open meeting law.
Nevertheless, the board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday to void its May 9 action and acknowledge that EdNews filed the complaint. The school board is ”willing to take action to void prior action in order to cure any perceived violation,” according to a written statement from the district.
Board members are then expected to offer the job to Kellerer by name and consider her contract.
As part of the board agreeing to void its previous action, Canyon County chief deputy prosecuting attorney Samuel Laugheed will not pursue charges against the district.
“In short, this office will elect against initiating formal enforcement proceedings on behalf of the public as authorized by Idaho Code §74-208 upon the district’s timely performance of the remedial measures it has proposed,” Laugheed wrote in a May 26 letter to Idaho Education News and the school district.
Laugheed wrote that the district’s decision to void its May 9 action was important.
“Such remediation, even absent acknowledgement of actual violation, is sufficient to this office’s inquiry as it remove the taint of impropriety from the action, regardless of whether such impropriety exists in law or public perception,” Laugheed wrote.
Kellerer succeeds outgoing Superintendent David Peterson, who retires June 30. Kellerer most recently served as Northwest Nazarene University’s dean of College of Adult and Graduate Studies.
Click here to read EdNews formal complaint to Canyon County prosecuting attorney.
Check back with Idaho Education News late Wednesday night for more on this story.
