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AMA ESD names new school board member

News Photo by Julie Goldberg Mandy Canute, executive administrative assistant for the Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District, presents the oath of office to Lee Fitzpatrick, who was appointed as a new ESD Board of Education member on Thursday.

ALPENA — The Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District Board of Education has a new member: Lee Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick was appointed to the board Thursday. He fills a vacancy left by Kevin Brown, who resigned last month because of health reasons.

“I’m very happy,” Fitzpatrick said after Thursday’s meeting. “I think boards are an important part of our community.”

The board appointed Fitzpatrick to the board 5-1. Board Vice President Norm Sommerfeld was the dissenting vote.

He was picked over Kathleen Vichunas, a member of the North East Michigan Community Service Agency board. Both of them were interviewed by the full ESD board on Thursday.

Fitzpatrick is the current Early College coordinator for Alpena Public Schools. He also helps run communications and social media platforms for the district.

Fitzpatrick said the role of a board member is someone who is responsible to the community at large and provides oversight and guidance to community members.

He said board members should have an open relationship with a school superintendent and an open line of communication.

He applied for the open board seat because he wanted to be involved with an organization that works with multiple school districts. In addition to Alpena, the ESD works with Alcona Community Schools, Atlanta Community Schools, and Hillman Community Schools.

“I’ve served on a number of boards, and I take it very seriously, and I just think that things that impact the lives of students and kids are important to me, and that’s why I think this is a good opportunity,” Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick told the board he can bring three things: He cares about work he does, he has experience with the ESD from his participation with the Great Start Collaborative program, and has built partnerships with surrounding districts because of his work with the state Marshall Plan for Talent grant area districts received last year for career technical education programs.

“I’m familiar with educational issues, and I am committed to my two kids and all the other kids that are living in this service area,” Fitzpatrick said.

In other business

The Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District Board of Education on Thursday also:

∫ approved spending $23,800 for Frank’s Lock and Key for an electronic keycard access system at Pied Piper School. That money comes from a Michigan State Police grant the district received earlier this year.

∫ received its yearly audit from Straley, Lamp, and Kraenzlein. The audit found that the district ended the 2018-19 fiscal year with $2.8 million in revenue, $3.2 million in expenditures, and an ending fund balance of $1.3 million.

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