KARNS CITY — Karns City School Board members Monday night approved the resignation of the board vice president.

Joe Boltz, who was one year into his third four-year term, recently started working at the school district as an interim manager of technology for the IT firm Questec.

Boltz, who did not attend the meeting, said it was not an easy decision to make.

“Legally, I don’t believe I had to resign. I believe I could have stayed on the board,” he said. “After discussions with multiple parties, going through a sample board night and all of the technology touches, I would have had to abstain from a lot of votes.

“I don’t know if I could have been as good of a board member.”

He said he was saddened to leave the board, but decided it was the best option for him and for the board.

Superintendent Eric Ritzert said the board had discussions with Boltz regarding his potential conflict of interest.

“It raised questions if he’d be able to vote on the budget,” Ritzert said, particularly when it came to the technology budget.

Boltz began working for Questec on Jan. 5. He has more than 22 years of professional IT experience.

The school board approved for Questec to take over IT responsibilities in November.

The Butler School District also uses Questec for technology services.

“The (job) interview process did not start for a job until after Karns City agreed to go with Questec,” Boltz said. “Being a board member was my first priority at that time. I did not want to jeopardize any of that.”

The board next month will appoint a new member to that vacant seat until the end of the year, and a new board member can take over in a two-year term beginning next year.

Shari Brewer, director of the Butler County Bureau of Elections, said school board candidates can choose to run either for a two- or four-year term, or both. If a candidate wins both the two- and four-year positions, they can choose which they’d prefer.

If that person chooses a four-year term, then the school board can appoint a person to a two-year term.

Five other board member seats are up for election at the end of this year.

Those interested in the interim position can e-mail a resume to the superintendent, while those wanting to run for the school board for the two-year term will have to go through the regular election process like any other candidate.