Riverside’s School Board is starting 2025 with a new board president and a new public communication process. Board member Scott Fishel was elected the board’s president for the year at its Jan. 8 organizational meeting. Fishel received votes from himself and board members Denise Brewster and Dennis Keeney. He succeeds Lori Krenisky, who will continue to serve on the board and received votes for president from herself and board member Belinda Grassi. Fishel was elected to the board in November 2021 and took office in January 2022. He will also continue to communicate with the public on behalf of the board in his new role. The board also voted 3-2 to authorize the board president to work with the district’s marketing and communications director after each board meeting this year to prepare email updates for the community. Brewster, Fishel and Keeney voted in favor of the authorization, while Grassi and Krenisky voted against. Fishel was previously designated to work on those communication emails on a meeting-by-meeting basis by the same 3-2 majority at the board’s Oct. 8 special meeting and at its Oct. 24, Nov. 21 and Dec. 19 regular meetings. Fishel has said at previous meetings that the emails will provide regular communication from the board to the public, from the board’s perspective. He added that any board member can submit ideas for the emails. Grassi and Krenisky have previously expressed concerns that other board members do not have the opportunity to review the emails before they go out and that one board member was writing on behalf of the board. They also disputed the accuracy of the first email that was sent in October. The board’s legal advisor, Dan McIntyre, said in October that the board wants to avoid a “round robin” situation where board members discuss a draft by email, phone or text message. The Ohio School Board Association states that under Ohio law, a majority of board members cannot hold “private, prearranged discussion of public business,” including by email. The board unanimously voted at the Jan. 8 organization meeting to elect Keeney as board vice president, to confirm committee assignments and liaison roles for the new year and to set its 2025 regular meeting schedule.