Cody Austin poised to fill vacant seat on Wooster school board
WOOSTER − Cody Austin stands ready to fill the vacant seat on the Wooster City Schools Board of Education.
Austin was named Monday evening following a special closed-door school board meeting. He is expected to be sworn in at the Sept. 19 work session, said board President Sue Herman in a text following the meeting.
The board unanimously agreed on Austin's selection to replace Michael Knapic who resigned as of Aug. 24. However, all board action must be conducted during open meetings, so the board did not vote on Austin's appointment, said Treasurer Amy Welty in an email on Tuesday.
The board is slated to take an official vote at the September meeting.
He was a finalist for the spot, along with Richard Goodright, out of seven applicants. Only Austin and Goodright were interviewed by the board.
Austin will fulfill Knapic's unfinished term, which expires Dec. 31, 2023.
"I'm really excited to be able to put any skills I have" to work, Austin said in a phone interview on Tuesday. He plans to put his "best efforts forward" for the next generation of the community.
'Laying the groundwork' for future children in Wooster City Schools
As a former five-year board member of the YMCA, Austin said, he recognizes how the organization is much more than a gym. It is a resource for youth with a variety of needs.
His membership on the YMCA board spurred his motivation to continue serving children, he said.
Austin and his wife, Ashley, have one son, Asher, who will be 2 years old in October.
With his pending appointment, Austin said, "I feel like I am laying the groundwork" for his son's future and other children in the community.
As the board and school district move forward on the master facilities plan, Austin said, he anticipates learning the "finer details" of the plan "and hope I can then be a helpful resource so that the board as a whole can ensure that the plan meets the needs of both school and the community."
Austin is the founder and financial adviser of Austin Wealth Solutions in Wooster and the general manager of Troy Miller Agency in Shreve. They run "side by side," he said.
Austin, who has a master's in business administration from University of Akron, has participated in many community events, such as the Great Adventure Race, through the YMCA and is also an assistant football coach for the school district.
"I make whatever I am involved in a priority," he said, noting when he completed his service on the Y board, he was eyeing the next way he could contribute to the community.
Seeking election to the school board when Knapic's term expires is "definitely my anticipation," Austin said.
"We welcome Cody Austin as our newest board member and look forward to adding his expertise and enthusiasm to our team," said Herman in a text message. "His obvious commitment to both the district and the community will serve us all in the coming days."
The work session is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 19 in the Wooster High School library.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Cody Austin poised to fill vacant seat on Wooster school board
