WOOD RIVER - East Alton Wood River (EAWR) High School Board of Education member Amy Harding tendered her resignation to EAWR Superintendent John Pearson and EAWR Board of Education President Nick Aguinaga Sunday afternoon.
A copy of that letter of resignation was sent to Riverbender.com by Harding. In the letter, she cited personal reasons as well as "one issue" the board has with her. That issue was the extremely divisive matter of consolidation of the East Alton, Wood River/Hartford and East Alton Wood River High School districts into one community unit school district. That push for consolidation was defeated by a mere nine votes this year, after being defeated by a similar amount in April 2015.
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"I think if it were not for the consolidation issue you all would find that I am a very good and loyal board member," Harding said in her email. "I think you have a phenomenal principal and I'm sorry I didn't get to know anyone else very well. I hope that the three districts can work together and iron out the issues that are creating a problem."
Pearson said he and Aguinaga were made aware of Harding's resignation Sunday afternoon. Pearson said the board will have 45 days in which they can choose someone to fill that vacancy after Madison County Regional Superintendent Robert Daiber has been made aware of it. If no one can be found within that 45-day period, Daiber will fill it, at least temporarily. Pearson said the likelihood of it not being filled by the board was very low. Harding was appointed to the board in such a manner.
"We have had a lot of these in the last few years, and I am sure the board will be able to fill it," he said.
The election code does not stipulate how a new board member may be selected to fill that vacancy, Pearson said. The board will meet soon to decide how the vacancy and future appointment will be handled.
Harding's resignation was effective when it was sent, and there was no notice. Harding currently sits on the Wood River/Hartford Board of Education, as confirmed by Wood River/Hartford Superintendent Patrick Anderson. He said he was also made aware of Harding's decision to resign from the EAWR Board of Education.
