Gause Elected as Manatee School Board Chair

Bob Gause

BRADENTON – Shuffled seats and solemn oaths were part of Tuesday's Manatee School Board meeting. Bob Gause was elected as Board Chair and Dave Miner re-elected to Vice Chair. Newly-elected members Mary Cantrell and Charlie Kennedy were sworn in, as was re-elected board member Karen Carpenter.

Carpenter, one of two reform candidates that were originally elected to the board in 2010, kept her seat in a landslide primary victory against Frank Brunner this August.

Charlie Kennedy was the first of the two brand new board members sworn in at the meeting. A career educator who taught at the District of Columbia's YouthBuild Charter School before moving to IMG Academy and then Manatee High School, Kennedy has replaced long-time board member Barbara Harvey, who did not seek re-election.

Mary Cantrell was the other new face at the dais. A first-time politician who acted as Director of Manatee Technical Institute from 1996 to 2014, Cantrell has been credited for helping to invigorate the school after taking the position. After her position was consolidated and contract non-renewed in 2014, Cantrell opted to enter into the District 5 race, where she got past the primary before winning the November election in a closely contested race against then-chair Julie Aranibar.

Miner had first nominated himself chair, but the nomination failed 3-2, with Dr. Cantrell supporting his nomination. Kennedy then nominated Gause, who was elected 4-1 with Miner dissenting. Miner was then nominated by Cantrell to be re-elected to his position as vice-chair, which the board approved unanimously. 

Karen Carpenter (Photo: Jackson Falconer)	Mary Cantrell  (Photo: Jackson Falconer)

In his opening remarks, Superintendent Rick Mills welcomed Cantrell and Kennedy, saying, "I look forward to working with them and all board members to continue the progress of the district," and congratulated Gause on his appointment to Board Chair and Miner to Vice Chair.

During his comments, Kennedy recognized Harvey, saying "I will never be able to fill her shoes, but I can fill her seat." Mills also thanked Julie Aranibar and Barbara Harvey for their service as board members.

Cantrell said during her comments that she has been impressed with the quality of the teachers in the district and the "drive and ambition of the students I've met," and was very positive "about the direction the district is heading in." She added that she believed the board will work cooperatively and still be reasonable even when members disagree with each other.

(Correction: It was previously incorrectly stated in this article that Miner did not receive any supporting votes for Chair. The correct voting record was a failed 3-2 vote, with Dr. Cantrell supporting Miner's nomination.)

Charlie Kennedy (center) with family and Judge Gallen, after taking his oath (Photo: Jackson Falconer)