Churchill County School Board Re-Opens Trustee Position

The Churchill County School Board of Trustees is searching for a candidate to fill the seat vacated when Matt Hyde was elected to the County Commission.

Three candidates applied for the open position: Keith Boone, Joe Frey, and Darin Hammer. Last week, they appeared before the school board for interviews and the selection process. After each candidate introduced themselves and answered a pre-selected list of 10 questions, Trustee Wendy Bullock nominated Keith Boone.

His nomination was unsuccessful, with a 3–3 tie. Trustees Wendy Bullock, Amber Getto, and Board President Gregg Malkovich voted yes. Trustees Kathryn Whitaker, Joe McFadden, and Julie Guerrero-Goetsch voted against the nomination.

Whitaker said that with so many board members being “education adjacent,” having been teachers or married to district staff or being employed in higher education, she believes ensuring the board has more diversity in their voice is essential. “We need community members who can provide a different perspective. It is very valuable to have different backgrounds, different occupations, it is important to have insightful perspectives when making decisions,” she said.

McFadden then nominated Joe Frey, who was also caught in a tie vote. Several community members spoke on his behalf, supporting his work on previous school committees and his business successes.

Frey received criticism as he had initially submitted an application for the empty seat but had withdrawn as a candidate to apply for an empty seat on the Planning Commission. When he was told how much of a time commitment was needed for the commission, he decided on the last day of the school board application process to reapply.

Board members were concerned about his level of commitment to the school board. Still, Whitaker noted that Frey has a strong reputation for high performance due to his extensive previous community involvement.

During their interviews, each applicant introduced themselves before answering questions provided by the board.

Boone said he retired this year after 32 years in education. “I’ve always looked at this as an interesting position I would like to have someday.” He said he believes the goals of the board are great. Aiming for a 90% graduation rate, a 15% increase in proficiency exam scores for third through eighth and eleventh graders, and having the percentage of students who pass the end of program completers in all CTE areas at CCHS increase to 70% is important. He appreciates the culture of “everyone always learning.”  

Frey said he has four children in the school system and runs five businesses. He has served on several district committees over the years, currently the CTE committee for Dr. Sue Segura. “I have seen kids get lost in the system and settle for low grades, and I don’t believe this is acceptable.” He was critical of the district schools receiving one or two stars in the stat rating system while the “charter schools across town have five.” While he believes the district is finally on the right track, he said, “I want to be part of the team to further that success. I have a different view of how and where money should be spent. When $40,000 of my tax money goes to this district, and my kid can’t get a good English teacher or a welding class, but there’s a new football field going in, at that point, our priorities are backward.”  

Hammer is a long-time employee of the Juvenile Probation Department, serving Churchill County youth for 32 years. “I listen to the students, and I know what they want. My responsibility is to the students, and I believe I can be a voice for them,” he said. He also explained that attendance is important, that “we have to have kids at school so we can educate them.” Additionally, he is concerned for the safety of the students, the teachers, and the staff. He said he would support the superintendent “as long as we’re all headed in the right direction.”  

Bullock asked each candidate to explain why they hadn’t filed at the beginning of the year to run in the regular election for the position and, in a follow-up, asked why they had decided to submit their names now. Boone was still employed by the district during the filing period, wrapping up his final year before retiring. Frey said early this year during filing that he had not thought about running. Hammer also said he had not considered running for the seat during the election in early March.

With no further nominations, the item died for lack of action. 

The board will reopen the position, and the three candidates can leave their applications in or withdraw. Members of the public are invited to apply for the position before December 13. Interviews and selections of new board members will be scheduled for the December 18, 2024, board meeting.

(Pictured below: Joe Frey, Darin Hammer, Keith Boone.)