Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Garfield and Palouse school boards will each replace two members after a series of resignations and elections. Palouse has appointed one new member already while Garfield will replace longtime members Craig Cochran and Kenny Restrom, who did not run for re-election Nov. 8.
Cochran and Restrom marked their last meeting in a joint session with Palouse Nov. 17.
Cochran served 10 years on the board and Restrom eight.
“I said I’d serve until my kids graduated two years ago,” said Cochran. “Then they couldn’t find a replacement so I kept going.”
The two will be replaced by new members Andy Olson and Keith Rawls, who were elected in November.
“There will be some adjustment, we’re replacing two board members with collectively 18 years on the board with two with no experience on a school board,” said Garfield superintendent Zane Wells. “But for the most part I think it will go rather smooth.”
In Palouse, the board accepted the resignation of Will Thurman at the Nov. 17 meeting, while appointing new member Chris Cook, who takes the place of Darin Watkins who resigned after seven years of service.
Cook has a Master’s degree in Higher Education and Administration from University of Idaho and is now working on his PhD at WSU. His work experience includes 13 years in student athlete development at WSU. He has two children at Palouse Elementary and one not-yet school age.
Originally from Seattle, Wells begins his first stint on a school board.
“Working in higher education, I’m trying to be part of the academic process more formally,” Cook said. “I see a real need to develop a long-term strategic plan for Palouse, and to communicate that plan to the public.”
The two boards will meet again in Palouse Dec. 15.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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