The Summit School District Board of Education was split on who should fill its vacant seat at a meeting Thursday, May 13.

In the case of a split vote, the board president appoints the candidate, ultimately leading President Kate Hudnut to appoint Breckenridge resident Lisa Webster to fill the seat.

Webster previously served as treasurer on the school board from 2015 to 2019 and has served on the district’s finance committee since then.

Chris Alleman, Tracey Carisch and Hudnut voted for Webster, while Gloria Quintero, Consuelo Redhorse and Isabel Rodriguez voted for Phyllis Raynor, a Dillon resident who has worked in education for nearly six decades.

Quintero, Redhorse and Rodriguez argued in favor of Raynor, saying she would bring a new perspective to the board given her many years of experience in education in different parts of the country.

Alleman, Carisch and Hudnut argued in Webster’s favor, noting that the board has large projects in the near future — including approving its budget, onboarding a new superintendent and bringing students back to school — and agreeing that Webster would be a better fit since she already has experience working with the board.

Webster was chosen after three candidates were interviewed to replace Virginia “Gini” Bradley, who resigned in March. Webster will be sworn in at the board’s May 27 meeting.

Webster will serve on the board until the seat is up for reelection in November.