What’s happening?
Smith, who has served as a trustee since May 2021, received a new job outside of the Southlake area, according to an email sent by the Carroll ISD board President Cam Bryan on Aug. 11. Her resignation was official Aug. 15. The board honored her tenure with a plaque presentation during the Aug. 21 meeting, but Smith was not present to receive the gift. Bryan said in his letter that he and the board wished her well in her future position and “recognize her commitment to the district and the work she has done to keep moving CISD forward on a path of excellence.”
Zooming in
Prior to her position for CISD, Smith spent 20 years in litigation at various law firms and worked for Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, according to information on her trustee profile page—which was removed Aug. 22. She also held a variety of roles within CISD that included:
- A member of the Budget & Finance Committee
- A member of the Student Health School Board Committee
- On the focus group for the previous CISD superintendent opening
- A substitute teacher
- A parent teacher organization volunteer
In the original email, Bryan stated the board would decide to leave the position vacant, appoint a replacement or hold a special election. The board ultimately decided to leave the position vacant until May 2024, bringing the number of trustees down to six. The board has previously operated with a vacant position, and this is not unfamiliar territory for the committee members, Bryan said during the meeting. The decision also allows the district to save money by not holding a special election, which he estimated would cost anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000.
What they’re saying
“I would suggest that we just keep it open, and whoever is interested in joining us next year, they can run at the regular time; they won’t have to run two campaigns,” Trustee Eric Lannen said.
