Lane Community College’s Board of Education is facing growing criticism after failing to appoint a replacement for a member who resigned in November 2024. 

Despite interviewing four candidates who sought to replace Lisa Fragala, who resigned following her election to the Oregon Legislature, during a special meeting on Dec.18, 2024, the board was unable to reach a majority decision for the vacant Member-at-Large Position Seven. The seat remains unfilled, leaving critical responsibilities and decisions in a state of uncertainty with a six member board.

LCC’s union, the Lane Community College Education Association (LCCEA), has called on faculty, staff and community members to attend the board meeting at 7:45 pm Wednesday, Jan. 8, in the Lane Boardroom (Building 3, Room 216).

Board Member Austin Fölnagy requested that a “motion to rescind” be included on the board agenda, pertaining to the action taken during the Dec. 18, special meeting, in which the board voted to indefinitely suspend the process to fill the Zone 7 vacancy.

The LCCEA stresses that the ongoing vacancy weakens the board’s ability to effectively oversee programs and services that benefit the community, stating, “The appointment should occur promptly to allow the Board to effectively fulfill its responsibilities.” 

Additionally, the LCCEA referenced information from the LCC Board of Education website, highlighting its role “to oversee the development of programs and services which [members] believe will best fulfill the needs of the people of the LCC District.”

Per the LCC Board’s “OCCA Board Policy 2110, Vacancies on the Board of Education,” the board is obligated to “appoint a person to fill the vacancy from any of the electors of the district if the position is one filled by both nomination and election at-large, and otherwise from any of the electors of the zone from which the vacancy occurs.” The complete policy is here.

At the Dec. 18  meeting, four candidates — Bob Brew, Dan Isaacson, Jesse Maldonado and Jim Arnold — presented their applications and participated in interviews. The board intended to use a ranked-choice voting system to evaluate the candidates, with members ranking them from first to fourth preference.

However, the process quickly progressed into disagreement. In the first round of voting, three members — Chair Zachary Mulholland, Denise Diamond and Fölnagy — ranked Jesse Maldonado as their first choice, while Kevin Alltucker and Steve Mital supported Bob Brew exclusively. Neither Alltucker nor Mital was willing to rank a second-choice candidate, stalling the process.

Board member Julie Weismann abstained, arguing that it was inappropriate to appoint a new board member for a term with only six months remaining.

The following rounds of voting saw Diamond, Mulholland and Fölnagy rank other candidates, including Isaacson and Arnold, but Alltucker and Mital continued to advocate solely for Brew. Ultimately, the deadlock persisted, with no candidate securing the majority needed for appointment.

The inability to fill the position points to the problems with an even-numbered board and also prompted sharp criticism from some board members. Fölnagy described the deadlock as “exclusionary and inconsistent with the values of the equity lens.” Mulholland expressed disappointment, emphasizing the importance of reaching a decision.

The situation culminated when Weismann walked out of the meeting during the final voting attempt, and the motion to appoint a candidate failed again. The board ultimately voted to postpone the appointment indefinitely.

LCCEA Communications Chair Anne McGrail emphasized the importance of resolving the matter, stating that the board’s failure to act inhibits its ability to govern effectively during a critical period for higher education.

With the seat remaining vacant, the board’s ability to function effectively and address pressing issues at LCC is in question.

The board meeting is 6 pm Jan. 8 in the Lane Boardroom Building 3, Room 216. Virtual viewing available at LCC’s broadcast webpage. 

A version of this story originally appeared in Lane Community College’s The Torch.