Interim superintendent picked

Shakopee Valley News

Each Shakopee school board member mentioned they had a preference for a candidate — but three preferred Gary Anger and three preferred Michael Redmond. 

With member Reggie Bowerman gone, the board was stuck in a tie. A motion to enter contract negotiations with Anger failed 3-3. A motion to enter contract negotiations with Redmond failed 3-3. 

That is, until Co-Chairwoman Angela Tucker decided to change her vote.

"We cannot leave here without something," Tucker said during a board special business meeting on Monday. "So because I am a team player, I will lean towards Gary."

Chairman Scott Swanson renewed the motion to enter into negotiations with Anger and the motion passed 4-2, with members Mary Romansky and Matt McKeand dissenting.

Although they leaned towards Redmond, both Romansky and McKeand said during the meeting they would be willing to work with Anger.

"Everybody that I've heard from thinks they're above the line and a fit for what we need right now," McKeand said. "I'd be thrilled to work with either of them."

Anger is the current superintendent of Zumbrota-Mazeppa Schools. During his public interview, Anger said he wanted to "clean the windows" of the Shakopee School District.

"We need to clean the windows of a lack of trust, clean the windows of the culture issues that have occurred ... so people can see this great community, see incredible schools and innovative teachers and the opportunities that are here," Anger said.

Anger said his skills and Shakopee's needs are a perfect match.

"I'm a person who has the ability to change culture," Anger said.

Former superintendent Rod Thompson resigned after police investigation into alleged misuse of his district credit card, as reported by the Shakopee Valley News in a series of stories.