From: John Barry <jebgroupllc@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 6:56:00 PM
To: mbarnebey@blalockwalters.com <mbarnebey@blalockwalters.com>; steve.heitzner@universityparkrd.com <steve.heitzner@universityparkrd.com>; scotthuebner@universityparkrd.com <scotthuebner@universityparkrd.com>; steve.swanson4@universityparkrd.com <steve.swanson4@universityparkrd.com>; greg.selep@universityparkrd.com <greg.selep@universityparkrd.com>
Cc: Vivian Carvalho <carvalhov@pfm.com>; Kwame Jackson <jacksonk@pfm.com>
Subject: Vacant Board Seat

Dear Members of the Board,

I understand that under the District charter, the Board has the authority to fill this vacancy by appointment. I am not questioning that authority.
However, I have some questions for the Board on why they would solicit resumes and run through a selection process given such a brief timeline since the latest candidate election on 2/18/26. Since that day, there has been only 1 board meeting and 2 workshops, excluding the second board meeting (on 4/10/26) when the meeting began with the announcement that Sally Dickson was suddenly resigning. That is only 7 weeks from an 8 week election process that was onerous and demanding upon all the candidates. Appointing a new person is signaling that the election carried no weight.
Given that context, I respectfully ask:
* How is the Board factoring the voters’ ranking of candidates from the recent election into this decision?
*If the Board is not giving weight to those results, what is the rationale for disregarding a very recent expression of voter intent?
*Will the Board state on the record the criteria it is using to evaluate applicants, and how those criteria compare to the candidates already evaluated by the voters?
While I recognize the Board can appoint any qualified individual, ignoring the recent election entirely risks creating the perception that the Board is selecting its own members rather than respecting community input.
At a minimum, I urge the Board to give meaningful consideration to the most recent election results as part of its decision-making process, or clearly explain why those results are not being incorporated.
This is ultimately about maintaining trust and confidence in the governance of the District. Decisions like this set precedent, and I hope the Board will approach this in a way that reinforces, not diminishes, confidence in future elections.
Sincerely, John E. Barry
7119 Chatsworth Court
University Park, FL 34201 Tel 717-342-6123
jebgroupllc@gmail.com