Controversial School Board member abruptly steps away from his post
By Jason Arndt
Editor
Following acceptance of Philip Ketterhagen’s resignation on Monday, the Burlington Area School District Board of Education has started its search to fill his vacancy, according to Superintendent Peter Smet.
Ketterhagen, in a Dec. 10 letter addressed to Board President Roseanne Hahn, did not specify a reason for his resignation.
“Effectively immediately I resign as a board member and treasurer of the BASD,” the letter states.
Hahn said the School Board accepted his resignation at Monday’s meeting and immediately began discussions of how, and when, the board plans to address the board vacancy.
Contacted by the Standard Press this week, Ketterhagen said he did not see a reason to elaborate or comment any further on why he resigned from the board.
The resignation caught many by surprise. Ketterhagen was elected to his fourth term in April after emerging as the top vote-getter in a four-candidate race for two open seats.
He campaigned on a platform that included urging his fellow board members to give voters the option of a maintenance-only referendum in last month’s election. The board instead advanced a $43.7 million compromise referendum that includes a new middle school, security upgrades at other schools and limited maintenance throughout the district.
The measure passed with 55 percent of the vote in the Nov. 6 election.
Shortly after he was elected to the board in 2012, Ketterhagen became a lightning rod for controversy. In July 2012 he was formally censured by the board for comments he made that were perceived as negative regarding the district’s staff and test scores.
The public reprimand, however, did not discourage Ketterhagen, who in succeeding years did not shy away from taking positions that were not popular with other board members, district staff and many in the community. However, his conservative position on spending and taxes won over voters in four elections.
To read the entire story, including how the School Board plans to fill the vacancy, see the Dec. 20 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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