Ruskosky to fill vacant seat in Clintonville
By Bert Lehman
Elizabeth Ruskosky has been selected to replace Jim Schultz on the Clintonville School Board until the spring 2022 election.
Ruskosky was one of four applicants who filed papers to fill the board vacancy after Schultz resigned due to medical reasons.
The school board selected Ruskosky at its Nov. 8 meeting t by a 5-1 vote. Board member Mark Zachow voted no.
Ruskosky will be sworn in at the Nov. 22 school board meeting.
Other applicants
In addition to Ruskosky, Tom Lederer, Glen “Drew” Lundt, and Laurie Vollrath also applied for the position.
At the Nov. 8 meeting, each applicant had the opportunity to address the board for five minutes.
In addition, someone could speak on behalf of each applicant for three minutes.
Lederer said he has lived in Clintonville for 40 years and held leadership and volunteer positions in the past.
He acknowledged that there is a lot to learn to be a school board member.
“I’m willing to do that,” Lederer said. “I have a lot to learn, but the commitment is here to do that.”
Lundt was a candidate during the last school board election but was not elected. He said he attended school board meetings prior to the election and continues to attend them.
“I think that’s who you need on the board, is somebody that cares, and maybe doesn’t always agree with you, but can look past all those differences to find what is the best for a community,” Lundt said.
If selected, Lundt said he’d give 100% to his duties. If not selected, Lundt said he would continue to attend school board meetings and ask questions.
“I just feel like I could do so much more good things being on the board,” Lundt said.
Lundt has children attending schools in the Clintonville School District.
Vollrath, who served on the school board before being voted out during the election, said she initially wasn’t going to seek the vacant seat on the board.
Vollrath also addressed a rumor that she didn’t support the teachers in the district.
“Some of the teachers may not agreed with some of the decisions I made when I was on the board or how I voted, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t support them,” Vollrath said.
Vollrath said her past experience on the board would help her fulfill the duties required since the seat will be up for election in only a few months.
“This isn’t a three-year term, and you don’t have that year to learn,” Vollrath said. “That’s why I think I’m the best candidate.”
Vollrath has children attending Clintonville schools.
Schultz spoke on behalf of Vollrath, recommending her for the seat he vacated.
Schultz said Vollrath has contacts with different groups of people than members of the current board and she has experience with special education students.
“Politically, she and I are completely on other sides, but we agreed more often than not on the board because Laurie understands that you need to compromise and it’s the board that makes the decision,” Schultz said.
Ruskosky’s child attends parochial school
Ruskosky said she has been a Clintonville resident for 15 years, adding that she has a child attending St. Rose St. Mary’s School, which is not part of the Clintonville School District.
Since 2017, Ruskosky said she has been involved in the Total Catholic Education Board for the St. Rose St. Mary parishes. She served as secretary for the first three years, and is currently serving her second three-year term.
“As my daughter is entering into her middle school years and transitions to the public school district inevitably sooner than later, I see this as the ideal opportunity for me to look at continuing my involvement, modeling an example of leadership and community participation to my daughter, and a way to help ensure Clintonville continues to provide top-level education to its students.”