Seth Wright Resignation (6-18-20)

Seth Wright Resignation (6-18-20)

Who has been at the helm of the st.

Joseph school board -- is stepping down.

The district announced seth wright's resignation today..

Wright saying he will be moving to kansas city for a professional opportunity with his law firm.

Kq2's madeline mcclain with more on how he feels wright and wrong for leaving.

The st.

Joseph school board president -- seth wright -- signing out before his term was set to expire in 2021..

Seth wright: "it doesn't mean i'm not sad about it," wright said.

"i've grown up in this community.

I've lived here my entire life except for college and law school.

It's a great community.

There have been a lot of tears in the wright household as we've been telling people we're going to move."and when he exits the boardroom -- he'll be leaving behind unfinished business ran for the board there were two things i wanted to do.

First, stabilize our operations and address our facilities.

I think we accomplished the first."wright says he is proud the board was able to pass an increase to the school tax levy back in april of 2019 and tough budget decisions helped turn a 3 to 4 million dollar deficit into a six-million dollar surplus this year will desperately need as the financial toll of covid-19 continues to climb.set out to achieve more -- and the fact that he didn't -- is something he is having trouble letting go.seth wright: to me the status of our facilities is unacceptable.

They are aging, they are inefficient, they are inadequate and that has got to be disappointed i'm leaving that incomplete.before covid-19 hit -- the school board attempted and failed to get the public's support to reorganize, renovate and potentially build new schools.

Seth wright: in my opinion, the question is not what happens if we build new schools, the question should be what happens if we don't.

I think we're looking at a crossroads with aging facilities and declining enrollment.

I think that's going to come to a head now especially with a decrease in funding most likely coming from the state and government level due to covid and the pandemic.

I think we're looking at a crossroads in the next couple of years.a proposition to end "open enrollment" died one month after it was approved by the board -- postponing the policy change for one year.keeping the status quo.seth wright: "you see these other communities investing in themselves and as we continue to stay the status quo, they're getting better.

Status quo is falling behind and we got to change that narrative.

We need to take responsibility for that as a school district, as a school board and come up with a plan that addresses the concerns and needs of the entire community and come up with a plan that moves the school district forward looking forward to 2030, 2040."

The unwillingness to change -- wright worries may drive more people away.seth wright: "people are leaving this community for opportunities elsewhere and i guess i'm the poster child for that as well and i hope at some point the community will wake up and say how many more people need to leave, how many more professionals do we need to lose, how many more do we need to lose that are going and looking for opportunities in other places.

We need to reinvest in ourselves."wright calls the move -- bittersweet -- but says he believes the board will continue to move in the right direction.reporting in st.

Joseph, madeline mcclain kq2 news.

Wright's resignation will be presented at the next board meeting monday has approved tami pasley to serve as the new president.

The st.