Cape school board president may resign

Cape Girardeau school board president Sharon Mueller may resign as early as this spring if her husband accepts a job transfer to St. Louis.

Mueller said she won't resign before the April 3 school board election.

Board member Laura Sparkman is assured of re-election and newcomer Paul Nenninger will join the school board in April. They are the only two candidates on the ballot. Board member Tim Arbeiter isn't seeking re-election.

The school board, Mueller said, will have to appoint someone to fill out her term if she does resign. That person would serve the remainder of her term, which expires in April 2008.

The board, she said, likely would allow people to apply for the position. The board would interview those individuals before making its choice, Mueller said. That process was followed in filling a vacancy several years ago, she said

Even if Mueller were to resign now her seat could not be filled through election. The filing period for the April election ended in January. Mueller has served on the board for eight years. She has one year left on her third three-year term.

Mueller said she would like to remain on the school board as long as possible. "I would like to stay on because I have a lot of time and energy invested," she said.

Mueller said she would like to see some of the district's strategic plan projects and programs implemented while she's still on the board.

Superintendent Dr. David Scala said Mueller hasn't said for sure that she will resign. "She is not absolutely sure she is moving," he said.

But Mueller acknowledged that she has been house hunting in the St. Louis area.

Her husband works for Nestle Purina Petcare Co., which announced last month that it plans to close its cat litter product division facility in Cape Girardeau this summer. Her husband is one of about 40 people who work at the Cape Girardeau facility.

The company said all of the workers would be offered the opportunity to relocate. Most would be offered an opportunity to relocate to the company's headquarters in St. Louis, company officials said last month.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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