Trustee Reinbold resigns from WBCSD

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

West Bonner County School Board Trustee Troy Reinbold has tendered his resignation, citing work and family obligations. WBCSD Board Chair Margaret Hall announced Reinbold’s departure at the regular July 17 school district meeting. West Bonner officials will officially accept his resignation and declare his position vacant in a special meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 31.

“Unfortunately, I’m greatly saddened to say that Trustee Reinbold has decided to resign because of work and family obligations. They were just too much,” said Hall at the beginning of the July 17 meeting. 

Reinbold did not respond to a request for comment.

Troy Reinbold. File photo.

Reinbold initially made headlines as one of three trustees — including former-Chair Keith Rutledge and former Vice-Chair Susan Brown — who voted to hire former-Idaho Freedom Foundation senior education policy analyst Branden Durst as the district’s superintendent.

Durst, who lacked a critical certification from the Idaho State Board of Education needed to hold his position, drew widespread opposition from the community and agreed to “seek an amicable and fair exit” from the district on Sept. 25, 2023. He has since filed a tort claim against the Idaho State Board of Education and Department of Education with the intent to sue for $1.25 million because they did not grant him an emergency waiver to continue serving as superintendent.

He has further argued that the letter announcing his “exit” was not a resignation, and that the board “intentionally misrepresented the nature and purpose” of the statement. He filed a legal complaint against the district in February asking for more than $100,000 in damages in addition to the cost of his legal fees.

Reinbold was the last remaining member of the board who had supported Durst, following the successful recall of Rutledge and Brown in an Aug. 29, 2023 special election.

“Trustee Reinbold’s written resignation will be before the board to accept at the July 31 special meeting and a vacancy for Zone 3 will need to be declared,” wrote Hall in a July 23 email to the Reader. “The expectation is that, on the 31st, the board will approve an application process to fill the position as has been done in the past.”

“I would like to thank Trustee Reinbold for his service over the last four years. He brought to the table an important, valuable and unique perspective,” she later added.

Reinbold’s resignation comes at a time of unprecedented hardship for the WBCSD after the failure of a $4.65 million school funding levy in May forced the board to shutter Priest River Junior High School and move the incoming seventh- and eighth-grade students into one half of the Priest River Lamanna High School.

WBCSD has partnered with the Innovia Foundation to raise the additional $1,073,800 needed to prevent future closures by covering the cost of salaries, transportation, maintenance, curriculum and technology. To donate, visit goinnovia.org/wbcsdfund.

The board voted July 17 to hold an online survey to determine if the community would support the $4.65 million levy if it is added to the November 2024 ballot. Residents of the WBCSD can visit forms.gle/WVJzHiABQgb9fEMM6 or follow the link on the district’s Facebook page to cast their vote.