The Firebaugh/Las Deltas Unified School Board will be operating as a four-person board until the upcoming November election.
With the passing of longtime school board member Gilbert Coelho, the board had a couple of options. They could appoint a resident to fill out Coelho’s term, they could call for a special election in 60 days, or they could just wait until the November election and put the District 2 seat in the general election.
According to Firebaugh Superintendent Roy Mendiola, the board chose the third option.
Instead of two seats being up for election this November, there will be three, and whoever is elected in District 2 will serve out the remaining two years of Coelho’s term.
According to Mendiola, the board started discussion back in April on how to best replace the District 2 seat. The board tentatively set up a timeline to discuss and vote on their options.
“The board had a special meeting on May 4, and after much discussion, the vote was to put the seat up at the November election,” said Mendiola.
So that means Firebaugh voters will be selecting three board members this fall. Besides Coelho’s District 2 seat, District 4 currently held by Fernando Campa is up, as well as the District 1 seat currently held by Eliseo Gamino.
As for the Firebaugh City Council, which is an at-large election, the seats of Elsa Lopez and Felipe Perez will be up for grabs.
The candidate filing period will begin in mid-July and run until mid-August.
