Richards to serve as K-M board member until November election

Angie Richards was chosen Monday night to fill the vacancy on the Kasson-Mantorville school board until a special election is held in November. The vacancy was created when Amy Olson, who was elected in November, resigned the position on Feb. 10. Richards, who had served on the board for 10 years, had declined to run for re-election in 2024.

The election of Richards came after a first vote of the board resulted in a 3-3 tie, with Board Chair Mark Torkelson, Eric Mesa and Patrick Madery voting for Richards and Kate Ryan, Aaron Stockard and Elizabeth Armstrong voting for Pat Walsh, the other candidate for the position. The second vote was 6-0 in favor of Richards.

Earlier in the meeting, board members had agreed that if the initial vote should result in a tie, the board chair could make a recommendation as to who he felt would be the best board member. The entire board would then revote.

At the meeting last week, Richards and Walsh were nominated by board members as candidates for the vacant position. At the Monday night meeting both nominees answered questions from board members about what strengths they would bring to the board and what are the major issues that the board must deal with before the November election.

During the discussion about who to select, the discussion centered not on which candidate was better qualified, but rather on whether Walsh should be selected because he ran in the November election and garnered more than 2,000 votes. In the election five candidates ran for four open seats.

Ryan pointed out that Walsh would have been elected if Olson had not been on the ballot.

When asked why they had agreed to be nominated for the vacant position, Walsh said that he had moved to the district in 2018 and ran for the board in 2022 for the first time. He was motivated, he said, by the fact that there were LGBTQ students who did not feel safe in the district. In 2024, he said, there were people who urged him to run. People told him they did not feel comfortable going to board meetings with their concerns and there was a community of kids who did not feel comfortable in the district.

He said great educators, a superintendent and principal have left the district and the district needs to bring trust back.

Asked the same question, Richards said she believes in KoMet Blue and during the ten years she served on the board she has gone through the significant challenges the board faces. The board currently has three new members, she said, who have to come up to speed. She said when asked to serve until the special election she felt she could could hit the ground running and also be a bridge to help the new members. In the coming months, she said, the board will be hiring a new superintendent, principal, and beginning contract negotiations. She added that she has no plans to run for the position in November.

One of the arguments made during the meeting, for those in support of Walsh was the recent election results.

Clerk Kate Ryan, said there is evidence of support Walsh would’ve been the board member elected, if Amy Olson hadn’t run for the seat, “through the Democratic process.”

“In an effort to build community trust I feel strongly that we need to listen to the community voice of the most recent election,” Ryan said.

Torkelson, however, said there is a difference between an election, and an appointment process and since they are elected officials, he said “we are their voice now,” referring to the community.

Richards pointed out, unlike Walsh, she has been elected multiple times in elections.

“This community has elected me multiple times to serve on this school board,” Richards said.

Ryan said she spoke to community members who have expressed community support for Walsh.

“We’re talking about 20 emails versus an election that had 2,682 votes,” Ryan said referring to the number of votes Walsh received in the most recent election.

Board member Aaron Stockard said he didn’t get any emails for Walsh but said he reached out to people he characterized as “random people” to ask for their feedback and the few he spoke to said they would support him.

“I can’t just ignore 2,682 people who live in this community,” Stockard said.

But Stockard recgonized the emails he received weren’t in support of Walsh.

“I got 15 emails and they all said the same thing they don’t want Pat Walsh,” he said.

Mesa also argued there was support for Richards.

The DCI obtained a copy of one email, signed by nine former school board members including former Kasson Mayor Chris McKern, in support of Richards.

“We, former KM school board members Brandon Madery, Brea Koebele, Chris McKern, Guy Paradise, Judy Thompson, Kent Harfmann, Mark Packard, Missy Swarts, and Steve Alvarado, strongly endorse Angie Richards for appointment to the Kasson-Mantorville School Board,” the letter read.

The letter read in part “With three new board members and an impending search for a new superintendent, the need for stability, experience, and strong leadership has never been greater. Angie has the institutional knowledge and leadership qualities necessary to guide the board through this transition effectively.”

“Her dedication to the KM district is unwavering, and her track record of service speaks volumes about her commitment to maintaining and improving the excellence of our schools,” the letter stated.

The DCI asked for a copy of all the emails mentioned but was asked to do a data request for them by Torkelson. The emails had not been provided by the district as of press time.

30 Day Waiting Period

Stockard during the deliberations pointed out a carve out, which would allow members of the communtiy to overrule the decision of the school board’s temporary appointment.

“If people are upset with the decision that comes out tonight there’s a process for them to petition that,” Stockard said.

Essentially, it would require 5% of the electorate from the last election to petition the school board within 30 days of their decision.

If it were to happen, it would mean the decision by the school board in nullified.

Without a successful challenge Richards would be seated on April 3.