Triway Board Seeks Replacement After Bricker Resignation; Apply by Jan. 30

The Triway Local School District Board of Education is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of board member Christine Bricker, whose resignation was effective Jan. 1, 2026. The board must appoint a replacement within 30 days, and the appointed member will serve by appointment through Dec. 31, 2027 before facing a special election to complete the unexpired term.

The board announced the vacancy Jan. 21 and set a short application window: interested, registered voters who live within the Triway district must submit a letter of interest and any supporting materials by 4 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2026. The board provided both mail and email options for submissions; full application details are available at yourohionews.com/holmes-county/triway-board-of-education-seeks-applicants-to-fill-vacant-seat/1007263.

Under the board’s timeline, the appointee will serve until the end of 2027 and will need to file and campaign in a 2027 special election should they wish to retain the seat for the remainder of the term. Filling the vacancy promptly is required by the board’s procedures and ensures the district has a full voting body for decisions affecting schools, staff, budgets, and policy.

For Holmes County residents, the appointment process carries immediate and longer-term consequences. School board members vote on curriculum choices, contract approvals, staffing and administrative leadership, and local levy placements that fund operations and capital projects. An appointed member serves with full authority until the election, making the selection consequential to families, employees, and taxpayers across the district.

The brief application period compresses opportunities for public engagement but also presents a fast track for community members who want to influence district governance now and potentially in 2027. Because the seat will be decided by voters in the special election, the appointment offers an incumbent advantage that could shape the dynamics of that race.

Next steps: the board is expected to review applications and make an appointment within the required 30-day window. Residents who are registered voters in the Triway district and wish to be considered should submit their materials by the Jan. 30, 2026, 4 p.m. deadline using the submission instructions provided at the URL above. The appointment will determine who sits at the board table during key budget and policy decisions and who may run as the incumbent in next year’s special election.