Published: June 09, 2009 10:09 am      

Perry Haines to replace Robertson

Monday’s meeting of the Goshen Board of School Trustees was all about new faces, with approval granted for both a new board member and a new energy education specialist.

First to be approved Monday was the selection of new board member Perry Haines, who will take over for Randy Robertson, who retired from the position earlier this spring.

According to Board Vice President Maynard Hartsough, Haines, a Goshen attorney, was chosen after careful consideration from a pool of four candidates.

“We had four very good interviews,” Hartsough said, “It was a difficult decision to make.”

One of the candidates withdrew from consideration near the end of the consideration period.

Board member Dan West agreed with Hartsough.

“I think we could have chosen any of the three,” West said, adding that it was Haines’ enthusiasm for the position and past experience in dealing with children through his work as a board member with the Safe Kids organization that really pushed the vote in his favor.

Board President Catherine Cripe said she appreciates Haines’ willingness to take on the vacated position, noting that it will not be an easy position to fill.

“I think we’re blessed to have people who are willing to come forward and finish a term,” Cripe said. “I think we have a great candidate. We are really pleased.”

With Haines now appointed as Robertson’s replacement, an official swearing-in ceremony will be held by the board at its next official meeting. Once sworn in, Haines will finish out Robertson’s remaining term, which ends June 30, 2010.

Also approved Monday was the hiring of Allison Brenneman as the new Energy Education Specialist for Goshen Community Schools.

The position is part of a $955,000 contract between GCS and energy consulting firm Energy Education Inc. expected to save the corporation around $2.5 million in energy costs over the next four years.

Through her new position, Brenneman, a business teacher at Goshen Middle School for the past three years, will serve as year-round liaison between the Texas-based firm and GCS over the course of the four-year contract.