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APS school board to interview 7 for vacancy

ALPENA — The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education will interview seven candidates for a vacant board seat over two nights next week.

The board will hold four interviews at 5:30 p.m. on Monday and the three remaining interviews at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday using the online conferencing software Zoom.

The candidates include Kenneth Gembel, Adam Poll, Jessica Luther, Sarah Fritz, Bradley Imhoff, Sara Grochowski, and Amy Ward.

Ward applied and interviewed for a vacant board seat last month.

Board President Gordon Snow said he was happy so many candidates applied for the vacant seat.

“I’ve not spent a lot of time with their resumes and cover letters yet but I, from the little bit I glanced at, I think we have a real good pool to choose from,” he said.

Snow said each candidate will have a 45-minute interview and will be asked 19 questions. He expects the board to appoint the new member following deliberation on Wednesday.

The board seat became vacant after former trustee Steven Donajkowski resigned last month because of a sexualized comment he made about Vice President Kamala Harris. It was not the first time Donajkowski had been criticized for posts he made on Facebook.

The board passed a resolution to censure Donajkowski because of the comments and because those comments disrupted district operations.

The resolution to censure Donajkowski states the board completely, without reservation, disavows the Feb. 5 Facebook post and comments made by him.

A censure is a formal reprimand of a board member by the board.

The person appointed to the board on Wednesday will serve until December 2022. They would need to seek reelection on November 8, 2022 to complete the remaining two-year term.

To join the meeting online visit Zoom.com and enter the meeting identification number 873 3475 8233 and enter the password apsboe. To join the meeting via phone, call 1-312-626-6799 and enter the meeting ID and passcode 122334.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.

Kenneth Gembel’s name was incorrect in an earlier version of this story.

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