NYSSA – The Nyssa School Board swore in a new member at its monthly board meeting on Monday, June 12.
Dustin Martinsen will fill the seat of Alesha Munk, who resigned in April amid growing concern about a new ethics requirement requiring school board members to file financial disclosure forms.
While the county’s education service district reappointed four of the seven members who resigned over the economic disclosure requirement, Munk did not seek reappointment because she moved out of the area.
After interviewing four applicants on Monday, June 5, the board selected Martinsen to fill Munk’s term, which expires on June 30, 2025.
Martinsen, a Nyssa resident with three children in the school district, has lived in the area for over a decade, according to his application.
An attorney, Martinsen is an owner of Butler, Looney & Martinsen, P.C. law firm in Vale.
Martinsen noted in his application that as an attorney, he has a good understanding of the state’s laws and a “good ability to research laws that may be applicable to school board decisions and beneficial to the Nyssa School District.”
According to Martinsen’s application, his three kids attend Nyssa Elementary School in kindergarten, third and fifth grade. He notes that he will have five children attending school within the district over the next four years.
Martinsen attended high school in Blackfoot, Idaho, and earned degrees from Idaho University and the University of Idaho.
Martinsen wrote in his application that he grew up in a home where education was a priority.
“With school board membership,” he said, “I believe I would be able to assist in helping the community keep education a high priority.”
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