Trinity Christian School elected a new board of directors Thursday night, following a judge’s order to do so.
Earlier this month, Misty Allen, a voting member of the school and parent of a student there, filed a lawsuit claiming the school’s board of directors did not have enough members to legally operate after five board members resigned in December.
At a hearing on Jan. 7, Judge Phillip Gaujot found in Allen’s favor and granted an injunction – ordering the remaining members from acting as a full board of directors and exercising its power until a full board could be elected.
“I’m very happy how things worked out, but this was never about me,” Allen said. “It’s been about helping Trinity find peace, healing and restoration. Trinity Christian School offers a solid Christian education. It is an amazing school with wonderful teachers.”
Gaujot found the school’s bylaws required it to have four officers – chairman, vice chairman, secretary and treasurer – to run the business of the board. At the time, the board only had a chairman and treasurer.
The board was also not in compliance with state law, the order states. As a result, the board was found to be non-functioning. Gaujot also named nine people to a temporary board with “the sole purpose of nominating and approving candidates to fill the five vacant board of director positions,” by Jan. 21.
Todd Dlugos and Kevin McPherson, the two remaining elected board members and defendants in the suit, were among those nine people and the order states it does not affect their terms.
The order kept Michelle Stellato, also a defendant, in her role as superintendent.
The temporary board was instructed to take the steps it needed to ensure the nominations and elections were honest, fair and transparent.
On Friday, a TCS official confirmed an election was held Thursday night, but did not know the results of the election.
Rocky Gianola, Allen’s attorney, said, “This lawsuit was purely a lawsuit to have the diminished board to understand that it was illegal for them and in violation of state law to operate and to continue to operate and that they needed to stop operating until an election was had.”
