3 recalled Richland officials accept ‘voice of the people,’ remove themselves from office

For some, it was an emotional evening marked with hugs, tears and words of reconciliation.

For others, it marked the end of an era of division and bitter education politics.

The Richland School District community bid farewell to three school board members at their last public meeting on Tuesday after a successful recall effort ousted them from office.

Kari Williams, Audra Byrd and Semi Bird each exited office in separate fashion: One stuck out the final meeting in its entirety, another left halfway through, and a third didn’t even show up.

And each will face different paths politically to regain power in a community that has chosen to forcibly oust them.

It will be an uphill battle for Jill Oldson and Rick Jansons, the two remaining elected officials who will be tasked over the next five months to rebuild a broken board.

“We’re going to continue to be student focused,” Jansons told the Tri-City Herald.

It’s expected Educational Service District 123 will appoint a new school board member before Richland’s next meeting on Aug. 31.

‘Pray for our district’

At Tuesday’s meeting, board member Audra Byrd left the dias at the conclusion of the board’s reports.

She excused herself early from the meeting because she believed “the issues on this agenda should be handled and answered by those who the community currently wants in order to best represent the voice and views of our people.”

“I will continue to pray for our district and the students here, and I will do my best to serve in whatever ways I can on a smaller scale,” Byrd said in an emotional speech to a packed room.

Byrd was elected to office in November 2021. She thanked constituents, voters, parents, students, principals, staff and administrators for allowing her to serve for nearly half of her four-year term.

“I am a firm believer in the power of the election process and in the voice of the people. Although I will admit I was a little heartbroken for the election results, I love that we have a country where people have the power to vote and stand up for what they believe in,” she said.

She left to a round of standing applause from a group of her supporters who showed up that night.

The trio was recalled during the Aug. 1 primary election. About 54% voted in favor of the recall and chose to oust them over charges of violating the state’s indoor mask mandate, the Washington Open Public Meetings Act and district policies.

The charges stem from a February 2022 vote to make COVID face masks optional in Richland schools.

They will officially be out of office after Benton County Auditor Brenda Chilton certifies the election results on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

While Byrd left the meeting, Williams remained to give the school board the majority quorum they needed by law to conduct the evening’s business, which included paying its bills, passing its 2022-23 budget and approving a first reading of a spec sheet for the district’s third comprehensive high school.

Despite the successful recall, Williams could be back in office at the end of the year. That’s because her seat is up for reelection this year.

During the Aug. 1 primary election, she survived a challenge from a more conservative candidate and earned enough votes to move on to the Nov. 7 general election, where she could be reelected to another four-year term.

“I’m just grateful to this great community and this great district, and eager to return in November,” Williams said.

Board member Semi Bird did not attend his final meeting as a school board member.

The conservative retired U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret is running for governor as a Republican in 2024 and has acknowledged his defeat in the recall election.

He and Byrd were elected as first-time school board members during the same election.

Bird said he would wear the recall “like a badge of honor” and believes they were “right and righteous” in their vote to go against the state mandate.

Back to school

The school board still plans to hold its second monthly meeting on Thursday, Aug. 31, in anticipation that ESD 123’s Board of Directors will fill one appointment so that the Richland board can conduct business with a quorum.

Washington state law stipulates that the regional ESD steps in to appoint enough school board members to form a majority quorum when there aren’t enough to do so.

The handicapped nature of Richland’s board comes at an unfortunate time, as board business ramps up and with students heading back to school less than a month.

Board member Jill Oldson said she wasn’t concerned, but excited that they had a chance to rebuild a collaborative school board that works together on common goals.

“I think the part that is most concerning to me is focusing on the community to heal and come together and keep our common ground,” she said.