Karen Carpenter to Resign From Manatee School Board
Posted
Staff Report
BRADENTON – On Tuesday, Manatee School Board member Karen Carpenter announced she would be resigning from her seat effective June 1, in order to move back to Massachusetts and be closer to her family.
Carpenter, 74, has two daughters and several grandchildren still living back in the Boston area and wants to be able to spend more time with them. Her last day will be June 1, while her final school board meeting will be May 23. Once Carpenter’s seat is vacated, Florida Gov. Rick Scott will appoint a member to fill it for the remainder of her term, which is set to expire in 2018.
Elected in 2010, Carpenter is the longest-serving member of the 5-person board. Along with former member Julie Aranibar, she was rightfully credited in 2012 as a leading force in exposing a financial shell game in which millions of dollars in district shortfalls were being disguised as a budget surplus under former superintendent Tim McGonegal.
Misty Servia, who narrowly missed in a 2016 bid for to unseat board member Dave Miner, announced this week that she would be applying for the appointment, which is open to any Manatee County resident.
The last time an appointment to the board was made was in 2015 when Dr. Mary Cantrell passed away while serving out her first term. Twenty-five applicants sought to fill the vacancy. Gov. Scott had political allies and local developers Pat Neal and Carlos Beruff conduct interviews and banker John Colon was eventually selected.
Comments
No comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.