These are the 3 finalists to fill the seat of an ousted Richland school official

Eric Rosane
·2 min read

Educational Service District 123’s board of directors announced Thursday a list of finalists they will interview next week to fill Semi Bird’s seat on the Richland School Board.

Bird and two other school board members — Audra Byrd and Kari Williams — were recalled and removed from office earlier this month over a surprise vote they made last year to make COVID face masks optional.

The decision to recall three of the board’s five members left the governing body without the majority quorum it needs to hold meetings.

Because of that, ESD 123 is tasked by law to appoint one person so that it can function again.

“This situation where the board does not have a quorum because of a certain situation is extremely rare,” said ESD 123 Superintendent Steve McCullough. “In order for the Richland School Board to approve payroll, to approve a budget or budget extension — to make any action that is legal, they have to have a quorum.”

ESD 123 Superintendent Steve McCullough
ESD 123 Superintendent Steve McCullough

Once ESD 123 appoints a new board member, the Richland School Board will begin soliciting applications to fill the seats vacated by Byrd and Williams.

Eleven Richland community members submitted applications for the seat. The ESD 123 board unanimously voted at its regular meeting Thursday to narrow that number down to three.

These three finalists will be interviewed by the ESD board at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29:

  • Scott Butner

  • Jeffrey Estes

  • Lindsay Lightner

Following a closed-door executive session to discuss their qualifications, the ESD board will then appoint one to the board.

That appointee will take the oath of office at the Richland School Board’s next meeting, Aug. 31.

But Bird’s seat is subject to reelection this fall. The top two vote-getters from the Aug. 1 primary — Chelsie Beck and Nino Kapitula — will face off in the Nov. 7 general election to replace him and earn a four-year term. They will take the seat after the election is certified.

This is the first time in perhaps several decades that a school board in Washington state has had a majority of its members recalled by a public vote.

Who are they interviewing?

Scott Butner is a local photographer and small business owner who spent nearly 30 years as a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland.

Jeffrey Estes also worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. His career spanned 28 years, and he retired in 2016 as director of the STEM Education and Outreach program for PNNL.

Lindsay Lightner is a career-track assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Washington State University Tri-Cities, where she coordinates multiple education programs.

The Tri-City Herald has filed a public records request for the names of the eight other applicants for the position.