Warsaw School Board Appoints Christie Gale to Vacant Seat
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
By unanimous decision Thursday, the Warsaw School Board appointed Christie Gale to fill the remaining year on Kent Adams’ District 4 seat on the board.
Gale, 2667 Harmony Court, Winona Lake, and former school board member Chuck Sauders were the only two applicants for the position. The board interviewed both candidates Tuesday night, which was open to the public.
Adams submitted his resignation at the school board’s November meeting, which was effective at midnight Sunday. He had one year left on his term, and was elected to the school board in November 2008 after defeating Sauders. Adams resigned to become clerk-treasurer for the town of Winona Lake.
Applications for Adams’ school board seat were due in to Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz’s office by noon Dec. 23.
After the 6-0 vote Thursday appointing Gale to the board, during public comments, Sauders told the board, “You made an excellent choice.”
“We had two excellent candidates,” Deb Wiggins, board president, replied.
Dan Robinson, board vice president, said he echoed what Sauders said. Robinson said it was a tough choice to make between the two candidates and thanked both for applying. He also thanked Sauders for his past service on the board.
After the special meeting, Gale said, “I really look forward to working with this group of members.”
She does plan to run for re-election to the board in November.
“I think it’s important for them to invest in me now so I can move forward,” she said.
Gale said she is looking forward to promoting the school corporation’s new strategic plan and working with community groups such as OrthoWorx.
Hintz, Gale said, has “a great vision for the school corporation. He is a great motivator to promote the goals of the school he is bringing.”
According to her application, Gale currently is “staying at home with my three children, who are ages 6, 4 and 2.” She is a licensed attorney in Ohio and Illinois, and practiced transactional real estate from 1999 to 2009.
She received her bachelor’s degree in 1996 from Bowling Green State University, and her juris doctorate in 1999 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
In another matter before the school board Thursday, the board approved the transfer of $350,000 from the Transportation Operating Fund to the Rainy Day Fund.
According to information provided, use of the Rainy Day Fund assists in an effort to preserve General Fund cash balance. To that end, the school corporation advertises during the regular budget process for a spending authority appropriation amount, which it uses. The school corporation needs to replenish used funds when possible.
In November, the school corporation sought permission and was approved by the board to transfer available funds from Capital Projects Fund and Bus Replacement Fund to the Rainy Day Fund. There was less money than expected available in CPF, but there are funds in the Transportation Operating Fund that was available to transfer.
An organizational meeting of the school board is scheduled for 5 p.m. Jan. 11 at the administration building.
