WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Residents back former candidate for school board

Karina Andrew reports from the Oak Harbor School Board meeting on Mon., Apr. 11, 2022.

In the wake of Oak Harbor School Board President John Diamond’s resignation from the board, a number of Oak Harbor community members spoke in support of former board candidate Jessica Thompson at a board meeting on Monday.

They Said It

“Jessica Thompson was right there, and that election could have went, with one slip up in either direction, in any direction,” [Island County Republican Party chairman and candidate for Island County Commissioner] Timothy Hazelo said. “…What I would really like you to do is to take that into consideration that within 100 votes or so, a couple hundred votes, maybe, that she would have been here anyway, that the public is already in support of her in a major way.”

“I will very much miss Director Diamond’s leadership,” [Oak Harbor School Director Jessica] Aws said. “He was a wonderful presence on this board, and (I) really appreciated his perspectives and his leadership, especially for the last few years.”