After 6 Years, Lakeville's School Board Has a New Leader

Every year, during its first January meeting, Lakeville's School Board elects a new chair—a leader to steer the board for the coming year.

Whether there has been an election or not, each year the board discusses, nominates, then votes for a new chair.

And on Jan. 8, for the first time in six years, a new leader emerged.

Roz Peterson was selected by the board as the 2013 School Board chair, a post Judy Keliher has had since 2006.

The change wasn't a surprise—Keliher said last year when she was nominated and voted as chair, that she would likely be stepping aside to allow Peterson—who had challenged unsuccessfully for the post in 2011—to take the reigns.

Peterson will serve as chair, with Board Member Jim Skelly serving as vice-chair. Michelle Volk will remain clerk, as she was the past few years, and Bob Erickson will remain as treasurer.

, as well as incumbents Keliher and Erickson, all took the oath of office before the leadership roles were hashed out.

Lind, who worked as an educator in the district for more than 40 years before retiring in 2011, was elected to his first term in November.

The board also approved its 2013 compensation. The salary for each School Board Member will be $5,850, with a $50 stipend per month for the chair. This is the same pay structure as the previous seven years.