After living for the past 40 years in the mid-Columbia Gorge and serving on multiple non-profit boards, Marc Harvey is joining the Lyle School District Board of Directors.

The board selected Mr. Harvey from a field of three applicants to fill the open Position 4 school board seat on September 22. Applicants Brad Blazer - the father of a Lyle School District student - and community member Becki Vital also interviewed with the board at the evening business meeting. Current board members were hard-pressed to decide between the three candidates, extending their executive session to further discuss the candidates’ merits and select the appointee.

Ultimately, Mr. Harvey, who has served on several major Lyle area boards, got the nod: He was a founding board member of the Lyle Community Council in 2018 and also served on the Old Lyle Elementary School Supporters (OLESS) board, which manages the Lyle Activity Center. He also served six years as a port commissioner for the Port of Klickitat.

Mr. Harvey currently serves on the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group, a volunteer group focused on supporting salmon habitat restoration with oversight from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. He also is an appointee to the Klickitat County Citizen Review Committee, which reviews county grant applications for salmon restoration.

Mr. Harvey moved to the mid-Columbia Gorge from his native Alabama in 1981 and recently retired from his job with Full Sail Brewing Company. He notes that he had read about the opening in the newspaper, and felt he had the time and energy to devote to the work. “Education is critical to our community and nation,” Harvey added.

Appleton resident Lisa Bren had been appointed to position 4 in October, 2020, and filed for election to the seat in June. However, Ms. Bren later resigned after a member of her immediate family accepted a job opportunity outside of the Lyle area. Her resignation came at the end of July, after the county’s filing period had already passed. Bren was the only candidate to file for the seat.

In these circumstances, the board appoints someone to fill the position, who will serve for the first two years of the upcoming four-year term. The November 2023 election will then determine who serves for the remaining two years of the term.

“We’re fortunate to find an individual with the experience Mr. Harvey brings to this position,” Board President Traci Waddington commented. “The learning curve for public school leadership is a steep one, but we are confident Mr. Harvey will pick it up quickly.”