Tuthill resigns from Shaker school board

BELMONT — Shaker Regional School Board Chair Pret Tuthill will be resigning from the board effective March 10.

Tuthill, who has served on the board as a Belmont representative for 11 years, said yesterday that business and family needs prevent him from serving out the balance of his term. His seat is up for re-election in 2014.

Because it is too late for his slot to appear on the annual school district ballot, Tuthill's seat will have to be filled by a consensus vote of new School Board that will convene after the March 8 election and annual district meeting.

When asked why he didn't resign in time for others to sign up and run for election, Tuthill said he meant to but time got away from him. "I should have announced this sooner," he said.

The School Board is comprised of seven members — four from Belmont and three from Canterbury. Tuthill's spot will have to be filled by Belmont resident for one year at which point the seat will be on the ballot as a three-year position.

"We are very, very, very said to see him go," said Superintendent Maria Dreyer.

"Obviously he has a wealth of information," Dreyer said, noting Tuthill's resignation and the decision of long-serving Canterbury member Diana O'Hara to not run again means the two people who are on the board with the most institutional knowledge will be gone.

"I'm sure he take my phone calls, though," Dreyer said.

Right now, Heidi Hutchinson of Canterbury is the vice chair of the Board and is the third longest serving member.

Belmont's Sean Embree is the only member from Belmont up for re-election this year and he is running unopposed. Rich Bryant and Donna Cilley are the other two Belmont representatives.