Board of Education President, Vice President Elected for Second Terms

The Board of Education elected its officers for a second term at a Tuesday night meeting. 

President Larry Schmidt and Vice President Valerie Roddy will serve in their respective roles until June 2013.

Schmidt is a partner at the Towson law firm Smith, Gildea & Schmidt, which specializes in land use issues. He has been a board member since July 2009.

"I would like to thank fellow members of the board for your confidence in me," Schmidt said at the meeting. "It's been my honor and privilege. I look forward to serving another year."

Fourth council district board member James Coleman voted against Schmidt, and second council district member Ramona Johnson abstained from the vote. Neither offered an explanation for their votes.

There were no votes against Roddy, however, Coleman, Johnson and sixth council district member Rodger Janssen abstained from the vote.

Roddy, who was sporting a large facial bruise from a weekend bicycle accident—not a "bar fight," she joked—was appointed to the board in August 2008. She is the the chief of staff to the Maryland deputy secretary of the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

"I certainly appreciate the opportunity to serve another year as your vice president," Roddy said.

Neither incumbent's re-election was in jeopardy however, as they both ran unopposed.