DAWSON RASPUZZI

Staff Writer

POWNAL -- The Pownal School District board is seeking to fill a vacancy that will be created following its November meeting when Randy Monhollen will vacate his post.

Monhollen announced his intent to resign at a board meeting Wednesday.

"My wife an I both have summer employment that takes us out of state for six, seven months," Monhollen said. "We work up in the Adirondacks in the summer time and it's a 300-mile commute to come to a meeting, and when you try to do that and committee meetings 300 miles each time it adds up."

Additionally, Monhollen said he and his wife have the opportunity to spend more time visiting Puerto Rico, which would prohibit him from attending meetings.

"For 20 years the Army sent me places I didn't want to go to do things I didn't want to do. Now, I'm retired and it's time to reverse the process," said Monhollen, who has been on the board since 2009.

Monhollen will continue serving on the Pownal board through November, at which time Chairwoman Cynthia Brownell said she hopes a volunteer will come forward who the board could appoint to fill the vacancy until the next election in March.

In addition to the Pownal school board, which he was chairman of last year, Monhollen has also been a representative on the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union board and the SVSU Food Service Advisory Committee the past few years. He was also on the principal search committee that recommended the hiring of Todd Phillips prior to the start of this academic year.

"Serving on this board has been very rewarding. I've enjoyed it. I've enjoyed all the committee work, even all the committees that Cindy (Brownell) volunteered me for," he said.

Monhollen and other board members recommended anybody who has thought about becoming involved in school matters to volunteer. Brownell said anyone who is interested may email her at cindybrownell4@yahoo.com.

"We truly hope that someone does want to step forward. Being on the board really is rewarding," she said.

Contact Dawson Raspuzzi at draspuzzi@benningtonbanner.com