RESCUE, Calif. — A seat on the Rescue Union School District Board of Trustees is vacant following the resignation of Trustee Michael Flaherty, who stepped down after his family moved outside the district’s boundaries.
Flaherty’s resignation became effective July 24, 2026. His four-year term originally was scheduled to run through December 2028.
The district’s current board roster lists Flaherty as one of five trustees serving the Rescue Union School District, which operates schools in the Rescue and greater El Dorado Hills area.
According to the information provided by the district, Flaherty’s relocation created a residency issue that prevents him from continuing to serve on the board.
Board Chooses Appointment Process
Rather than send the vacancy to a special election, the RUSD Board of Trustees voted Aug. 18 to begin a provisional appointment process.
The decision follows a process the district has used previously. In 2023, the board selected Flaherty himself as a provisional appointee after a vacancy opened on the governing board. Under that process, the appointment remained subject to the statutory provisions governing a potential special election.
The district is now seeking qualified residents interested in taking the vacant seat.
The appointee will serve until the November 2028 election, when voters will have an opportunity to decide who will hold the seat for the subsequent term.
The appointment process gives the board a way to restore its full five-member governing body without the expense and administrative requirements associated with a special election.
Who Can Apply?
RUSD says applicants must meet several basic qualifications.
Applicants must be:
- U.S. citizens;
- At least 18 years old;
- Registered voters; and
- Residents living within the Rescue Union School District boundaries.
District boundaries matter because trustee eligibility is tied to residency within the district. Families and prospective applicants can verify district boundaries through RUSD, which maintains enrollment and boundary information for its schools.
Key Dates for Applicants
The district has established a relatively short timetable for filling the seat.
Application deadline: Sept. 10, 2026, at 3 p.m.
Public interviews: Sept. 22, 2026
Swearing-in: Oct. 13, 2026
The successful applicant will assume the remainder of the vacant term and serve until the November 2028 election.
Those interested in applying can obtain an application packet by contacting Christina Mason at (530) 672-4810 or cmason@rescueusd.org.
A Board With a Familiar Name Missing
Flaherty’s departure marks another change for an RUSD board on which he previously served as a provisional appointee.
District records show that the board selected Flaherty in January 2023 to fill an earlier vacancy. He was sworn into office at the February 2023 board meeting.
The district’s current board leadership includes President Michael Gordon, Vice President Kim White, Clerk Michelle Bebout and Trustee Jamie Hunter, alongside the now-vacant seat.
The vacancy comes as RUSD begins another school year serving families throughout its El Dorado County attendance area. The district operates five elementary schools and two middle schools.
For parents, educators and residents who follow local school governance, the appointment will temporarily determine who occupies one of the five seats responsible for district policy, budget oversight and governance.
The district maintains its board agendas, minutes and meeting materials online, providing residents with access to the public record surrounding the vacancy and appointment process.
Residents interested in serving on the Rescue Union School District Board of Trustees should contact Christina Mason before the Sept. 10 deadline.
