Two new members joined the Powell school board last week.

The Park County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees appointed Lillian Brazelton and Kimberly Condie to fill two vacant positions Thursday evening.

“We welcome them to the board,” said Greg Borcher, school board chairman.

The positions had been held by Jason Wardell and Lisa Barrus, who both resigned last month; Wardell is being transferred out of state by his employer, and Barrus decided to seek a job with the school district.

The board started advertising the open positions earlier this month, and received four letters of interest. All four candidates — Brazelton, Condie, Dr. Jenkins Clarkson and Tracy Morris — were interviewed by the board Thursday.

“All four people were very qualified,” Borcher said. “One of (the) board members said, ‘I would be comfortable with any and all four of them on the board if we had room, but we don’t have room so we have to make a decision.’”

Interviews were held in a closed-door executive session, so the general public, including the Tribune, could not attend Thursday’s meeting.

“It was felt by the board to keep confidential anything that was disclosed or personal stuff about candidates,” Borcher said.

Following the interviews, the board voted unanimously in an open session to appoint Brazelton and Condie.

“It came down to just who did the board feel was the best fit right at this time,” Borcher said.

Both Brazelton and Condie said Friday they felt the timing was right for them to step forward to serve.

Over the next few months, they’ll be able to see how the board works and if they would like to serve a four-year term.

Brazelton’s and Condie’s terms are through the end of November; they can choose to file in August and seek election this fall if they decide to run for a full term.

Brazelton works as the coordinator for Safe Kids Park County, a program through Park County Public Health.

“Being with Public Health gives me a sense of community,” Brazelton said. “I thought that tied very closely to being part of the school district as well.”

She has worked for Park County Public Health since 1988, and has served on a number of coalitions. As her three children have grown up attending Powell schools, Brazelton has been involved in the school district, she said. Brazelton has served in the FFA parent support group and also volunteers in 4-H. Her oldest daughter graduated from Powell High School, and her younger children are in high school and middle school.

“What a wonderful school district we have, and what a wonderful board,” Brazelton said. “Who wouldn’t want to be part of that board?”

When the open positions were announced, “I just thought I had something to bring to the table,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge that I imagine it’s going to be,” Brazelton said. “I’m very honored that they chose me. Hopefully I can live up to their expectations. I’ll do my best.”

As for issues facing the school board, Brazelton said one will be finding a new superintendent to replace Kevin Mitchell, who is resigning in June 2017.

“I think our school board does very well, and I’d like to help them continue on that path,” Brazelton said.

Condie also said she’s looking forward to being more involved with the district.

“Previous to the school board vacancies being announced, I had been thinking I would like to contribute to the community in some additional way,” Condie said. Her husband, Gib Condie, suggested that she apply for one of the openings and “it just seemed like what I was looking for,” she said.

“The timing just seemed right to me, the more I thought about it,” Condie said.

Condie said Powell has “a really, really good school district.”

“I would venture to say we have the best district in the state,” she said.

Her three older children graduated from PHS, and her youngest son attends Powell Middle School. Over the years, they’ve had many good teachers who are caring and helpful, Condie said.

“I honestly could talk all day about how great the teachers are in this district,” she said. “We’ve just had so many good experiences, and we know that’s not the case everywhere.”

Since moving to Powell in 1991, Condie said she has been a stay-at-home mom and “focused on my kids and school and the kids’ activities.” The couple came to Powell when her husband got a job as a school psychologist in the district.

Condie volunteered at Southside Elementary School when her kids attended school there, and also has helped out at the middle school. She’s also been involved with various responsibilities at her church, such as helping with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. She has volunteered at the public library for nearly 25 years.

Condie said serving on the board is a good way for her to be more involved with the district.

“I don’t have any particular agenda,” she said. “I just think this will be a good way to continue my involvement in the district and hopefully be helpful in some way. I think it’s going to be challenging. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

Condie said her first tasks are to learn a lot, get informed and try to be helpful.

“I think we’ve had a good board that has done a good job,” she said.

Condie and Brazelton will attend their first meeting as board members on June 28.

Borcher encouraged all four candidates who applied for the open positions to consider running for the school board this fall.

“We would welcome any of them and all of them to the board, if they chose to do that,” he said.

In addition to Brazelton’s and Condie’s positions, the seats held by Lynn Stutzman and Rob McCray also will be up for election this fall. The filing period for the school board and other special districts runs from Aug. 10-29.