Rockwood Board of Education Appoints New Member

Six board of education directors interviewed six school board candidates at a special Monday evening meeting before selecting a replacement for Matthew Fitzpatrick, a previous member who resigned Oct. 20. Rockwood Superintendent Bruce Borchers was present at the meeting as well.

After a review of submitted background materials and group conducted interviews Monday, Geoff Rigabar, of Wildwood, was appointed as Fitzpatrick's replacement. He will be sworn in Thursday at the regularly scheduled Rockwood board of education meeting. He will serve until the next board of education election on April 3, 2012.

Candidates, in order of interview sequence, included:  Daniel Hohn, Geoff Rigabar, Judy Dungan, Nancy Waller, William "Bill" Brown and Victor Hieken.

The interviews were held at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville.

A seventh candidate, Bill Brooks, withdrew prior to Monday's interviews. Board President Steve Smith said Brooks is a substitute teacher, and that he did not realize he would have to give up subbing should he be selected for the board.

Fitzpatrick served on the board since 2009, citing personal reasons for his resignation.

According to responses during the applicant interviews, Hohn works in medical sales. Rigabar is a former military officer turned businessman. Dungan is a former Rockwood board of education director who had to resign when she became a staffer for U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (D-MO). Waller emphasized her 20-plus years of parent volunteerism and involvement in the Special School District. Brown is a Rockwood graduate and former teacher who stated he still has close ties to many Rockwood teachers. Hieken is a certified public accountant and Rockwood parent.

After interviews were conducted, the six directors discussed their reactions and recommendations. "No one of the candidates was unacceptable; in fact, they all six were very solid in different ways," said Smith said.

Director Steve Banton opened the selection discussion, stating he had devised his own points-based evaluation method that incorporated the written materials and in-person interaction. He divided it into five categories:  philosophy, leadership, personality, qualifications and conflicts. He said based on the evaluation, Rigabar and Hieken became his top two candidates.

Director Matt Doell said his evaluation was based on similar attributes plus his perceptions of the candidates to conduct independent thinking. He said he came out with the same two highest applicants, although he also was comfortable with Brown as a choice.

Director Peggy Devoy said Dungan's former board experience should be honored. "Judy knows the responsibilities of directors and served very well. She was elected twice by Rockwood citizens," she said.

Board Vice President Janet Strate said her evaluation method focused on who most came across as leaders, and her top choices also were Rigabar and Hieken.

Smith said he knew two of the applicants very well, and that he did not perceive any of their potential conflict of interests as deterrents. "They would just have to deal with conflicts in legal ways, but that's easy to do," he said.

Director Keith Kinder said he was impressed with all six of the candidates. "I guess I'm the odd man out; I don't see any candidates' issues as conflicts. It just means they don't vote on certain things," he said, avoiding picking his own top contenders. "None would break up the continuity of this board."

But applicants were told they would know who was chosen before leaving Monday night, so the directors eventually had to make a decision. "We have six solid candidates; this is not a vote against any one of them," said Strate, who eventually moved to nominate Rigabar for the spot.

The vote was unanimous.