School board appoints newest member to replace 17-year veteran

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU -- The Mat-Su Borough School Board appointed longtime vocational education teacher Jeff Trotter to fill a school board seat that was recently vacated by 17-year board member Robert Johnson.

After narrowing down its list of candidates to 13 applicants, the board interviewed three Valley residents Wednesday evening, including Cindy Bettine, president of ABC Travel Time, and Bryan Gearry, director of Skills USA. After a brief deliberation the board voted unanimously to appoint Trotter as its newest member.

Trotter is a retired Mat-Su Borough School District educator and small business owner. He spent nearly 30 years teaching construction trades and drafting, including stops at Palmer, Wasilla and Colony high schools.

After working for several years at overcrowded schools in Colorado in the mid-1970s, Trotter said he is particularly concerned about the overcrowding in Valley schools and plans to draw on his past experience to find a solution.

Vocational education will also be high on Trotter's agenda.

"Bob Johnson retired, but he was always an advocate of vocational education," Trotter said. "Hopefully I can pick up where he left off."

Trotter was the director of Skills USA, a leadership organization for vocational students, and he believes vocational education is an important alternative for many students.

"It's an alternative to college for students who need to find careers in construction trades and vocational education-type jobs," he said.

Trotter has two boys who graduated from Colony High School and currently lives in the Palmer area with his wife. His appointment will run through early October, when, according to board policy, he is required to run for office during the next regularly scheduled election.

Trotter said it has crossed his mind to run for re-election, but he wants to "see what I'm getting into first."

Following the board's vote, Trotter was sworn into office by Chief School Administrator Robert Doyle.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.