Former board member Kai Lai applies for vacant board seat
Gilroy – Is he or isn’t he?
Whether former school board members Bob Kraemer and John Gurich plan to compete for the vacant Gilroy Unified School District board seat has been hot education gossip for the past couple weeks.
But amidst the rampant rumors – and anger from some locals who aren’t happy about the prospect of appointing Kraemer and Gurich since they lost in the last election – someone else has quietly submitted his resume.
Kai Lai, who volunteers for the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the GUSD Accountability Taskforce, is the district’s first candidate to fill the seat vacated by TJ Owens when he unexpectedly died on Oct. 17.
The deadline for interested applicants is Nov. 22.
Lai, a retired engineer, served on the GUSD board from 1981 to 1991. He also served as president during his 10-year tenure. The longtime Gilroy resident, also served on the Gilroy Planning Commission from 1991 to 2000, eight years on the South County Planning Advisory Committee and 10 years on the Santa Clara Office of Education Committee on School District Organization.
Lai also taught Gifted and Talented Education science classes after school during the 1980s. Both of his children attended Gilroy’s public schools from kindergarten through high school graduation and his wife is a retired Gilroy teacher.
Lai was not available for comment as of presstime Monday.
Locals interested in applying for the board member position, must be registered voters and reside within the GUSD. District employees will not be considered. The board holds regular meetings twice a month. Special meetings and study sessions are also scheduled throughout the year.
Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, contacts of at least three references and a resume. Send applications to Superintendent Edwin Diaz, 7810 Arroyo Circle, Gilroy, Calif. 95020 or fax to 847-4717.
