The Fountain Hills Unified School District governing board looks to be back up to full capacity by the end of the month.

Back in February, Bill Mullaney announced he would be stepping down.

Five individuals applied for the vacant seat back in April, including former 2012 board candidate Karl Gaardsmoe, former Mayor Wally Nichols and community members Edith Stock, Richard Rutkowski and Paul Perreault.

After applying for the position, all five candidates were then interviewed by a collaboration team made up of Board President and chair Dr. C.T. Wright, Superintendent Tom Lawrence, Fountain Hills Education Association member and local teacher Donna Male, among others.

From there, the committee has passed its recommendation along to the Maricopa County Superintendent’s Office for a final decision.

According to Lawrence, all candidates are primed to attend the Maricopa County Superintendent of School’s nominee seminar Saturday, June 15, and a decision by the county schools superintendent will be announced to Wright within five working days.

Lawrence said he is hoping to know by June 21 who the new board member will be, just in time to take their position before the start of a new a new fiscal year.