Granite School Board votes to appoint Elena Leppard to District I seat opening Dec. 31

The Granite School District Board of Education voted Sept. 1 to appoint Elena Leppard to its District I seat, after interviewing four finalists, according to the board's approved minutes. The district's vacancy notice says the seat becomes vacant Dec. 31, 2026, and that the successful candidate's term begins in January 2027, when he or she takes the oath of office. The minutes record that the final motion to appoint Leppard passed unanimously. ^[1][2]

**The vacancy.** Four finalists were interviewed in alphabetical order before a dinner break: Elena Leppard, Marilyn Taft, Benjamin Ungricht and Janelle Williamson. The district had posted a notice of the board vacancy on Aug. 4. In the general meeting, which began at 7 p.m. with all seven board members present, President Nicole McDermott invited board members to share impressions of the candidates. ^[1][2]

**The votes.** Clarke Nelson moved that the board appoint Leppard, "to replace Julie Jackson for precinct one," and Jackson seconded. Jackson is a sitting board member whose seat is the one opening. After about 20 minutes of initial deliberation, the minutes record a call to question vote of 1 yea (Nelson), 5 nay and 1 abstention (Jackson). The minutes then say President McDermott called for a substitute motion and debate continued, and record a second call to question vote of 3 yea (Jackson, McDermott and Nelson) and 4 nay (Burgess, Chandler, Nguyen and Winder). The minutes do not say what question each call-to-question vote decided. Connie Burgess then made a substitute motion, seconded by Karyn Winder, saying "I put Ben's name forward"; the only finalist named Ben was Benjamin Ungricht. It failed with 1 yea (Chandler) and 6 nay. The minutes say board members discussed alternative actions and the constraints they are under by law to settle the matter in an open board meeting. McDermott then returned to the original motion, and it passed unanimously. ^[1]

**Other action on Sept. 1.** The board approved its consent agenda unanimously, including the minutes of four August meetings and a superintendent contract amendment. It gave first reading to a military leave policy that provides up to 15 days of full pay a year for approved military leave, a change the minutes say was agreed in the latest negotiated agreements. On second reading it approved a policy creating separate timelines for boundary changes and for school closures, with Burgess and Chandler noting that a request had been made at first reading to change wording from "no sooner" to "at least." It also approved policies on electronic devices, student travel and school fees. Superintendent Ben Horsley said two more items were being expedited to conform with a recent audit. The board approved them as final action. They were a new Medicaid claims policy and an update to the fiscal policy manual on reporting fraud, waste and abuse that includes whistleblower protections. All of those votes were unanimous. ^[1]

**Since then.** At its Sept. 15 meeting the board heard updates from student services, access and opportunity, and career and technical education. Career and technical education director Mandy Chapple highlighted plans for a student-led commercial hospitality enterprise funded by an APEX grant. The board's Oct. 6 agenda lists a data update for closed schools, the reappointment of the business administrator and a possible action on surplus property after a closed session on real estate; its Oct. 20 study session agenda lists the Skyline network IB program, early literacy and dual language immersion. Those are agendas, not outcomes. ^[3][4][5]