WRIGHTSTOWN, Wis. (WFRV) – Wrightstown Community School District officials will interview three candidates for the two vacancies on their school board.
Those interviews will be open to the public and take place next Wednesday. Board members will choose two of these candidates to join them on the school board right after they complete the interviews.
The Wrightstown School Board currently has two vacancies after two board members resigned in the last month. Effective May 2, the most recent board member to resign was Michael Mollen.
In a short statement he originally sent to current board president Rayn Warner, Mollen wrote, “It is without regret that I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign from the Wrightstown Community School District Board of Education.”
Local 5 News briefly connected with Mollen over Facebook Messenger on Wednesday afternoon. He declined an interview request, but said that there’s going to be lots to cover in the school district over the next few months.
Family-owned and beloved Green Bay gelato shop opens brand new location in De Pere
Mollen’s resignation comes on the heels of former school board clerk Tony Decker also announcing his resignation in mid-April. He didn’t return a message from Local 5 News seeking comment.
Warner told Local 5 News on Wednesday night that both men told him they resigned because of personal reasons. He said he was a bit surprised when he heard about the resignations.
“I think we’re in a good position moving forward, and hopefully we have some good applicants coming through,” Warner said when asked if he’s worried about the resignations.
In addition to the resignations, voters ousted two other board members in April. Former school board vice president Jeff Nelson lost his re-election campaign last month.
Former board president Angela Hansen Winker lost a recall election in April. Warner helped start a petition to collect signatures to get Hansen-Winker recalled, accusing her of not involving all board members in discussion, not being transparent, and inappropriately accumulating attorney fees for the district.
“I believe it was (what is best for the district), it gets us moving in the right direction,” said Warner. “Puts some transparency back in the district and puts some confidence back in the board.”
Hansen-Winker didn’t return a message from Local 5 News seeking comment. She had filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Election Commission against Decker for certifying the recall election before the former clerk resigned from the school board.
“Our main focus is getting trust back in the community, building on our transparency and trying to move forward with the district and students and putting them first,” Warner said about the path forward.
“How can this new board get together, be a team, and move forward in a positive way,” added district superintendent Ron Saari.
