Chris Fall

After nearly five hours of interviewing, Hart district board members chose Chris Fall as their appointee to fill a vacated board seat Wednesday.

The governing board for the William S. Hart Union High School District questioned the candidates on everything from their views on special interests to their biggest priority if state funding is restored.

Fall is a city Parks and Recreation commissioner, Boys & Girls Club board member, Valencia resident and a Hart district parent.

The Hart district oversees approximately 23,000 students in the Santa Clarita Valley’s junior highs and high schools.

“The role of a board member of course is to work collectively with the stakeholders, you set good sound policy, provide oversight and you act as an ambassador,” Fall said, when asked what he saw as his job as a board member. “We try to lift the sail and let (the superintendent) go sailing.”

The choice was whittled down from four finalists: Barbara Myler, John Kunak, Bruce Fox and Chris Fall. Myler, Fox and Fall were the final three, and then a tie led to the final vote of Fall.

Fall was also one of the few candidates who said he would definitely run in November if he was made the Hart district’s provisional appointment.

The seat was vacated May 1, when former board member Paul Strickland vacated his spot for a career opportunity in Florida.

The other 11 applicants were Kane Crawford, Michael Cruz, Bruce Fox, Steven Herskovitz, John Kunak, Dean Morris, Barbara Myler, Brian Springer, Richard Shaw, Betti Sternberg and Tony Watson.

Ken Dean and Randal Winter withdrew their names from consideration from the position, according to Hart district officials.

The candidate requirements included being at least 18 years of age, a resident of the Hart district’s area, a registered voter in the State of California and not be disqualified from holding civil office by the constitution or any law of the State of California.

A short special board meeting is scheduled for June 19, prior to the scheduled regular meeting, when the oath will be administered to Chris Fall, according to district documents.

At the May 15 board meeting, governing board members voted to make a provisional appointment to fill the remainder of the term for former board member Paul Strickland

The board finished collecting applications May 29.