Former Members To Serve on Champaign School Board For Interim

Two former school board members have been tapped to fill vacancies on the Champaign Unit Four school board. According to a news release from the district, the school board voted Monday night to appoint Arlene Blank and Phil Van Ness to the seats. They’ll serve until the April elections, and are not running for the seats themselves.

Blank and Van Ness are taking seats left vacant by the resignations of Tom Lockman and former school board president Sue Grey.

Lockman is returning to Unit Four in another capacity—- the school board voted to appoint him the School Attorney for the district. It’s a new position that the school district describes in a news release as a way to cut down on legal fees. Lockman currently works for the University of Illinois, as an Award Coordinator for its Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Administration.