Committee to decide fate of Midget mascot

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

Hurley — Is it time to eliminate the Midget mascot?

That’s what a committee in the Hurley School District will decide by the end of the year.

“It’s time for a discussion,” school board president Joe Simonich, of Kimball, said Monday.

He said the district had been threatened in the past with lawsuits regarding the Midget moniker.

It’s planned the committee will come up with a recommendation for the school board by December.

“We want this to be a transparent process,” Simonich said.

Board members suggested a wide variety of representatives be seated on the committee; including students, community representatives, parent-teacher organization members and booster club representatives.

There will be no school board members on the committee, although they will recommend people for the panel.

Simonich suggested nine to 15 members and district administrator Chris Patritto said 12 to 15 would be preferable.

The board will likely act on selecting members of the committee on Oct. 15, when it plans to meet in special session regarding appointing a school board member to fill the unexpired seat of Dave Pajula, of Montreal, who has resigned. That seat on the five-member school board will be up for election next spring.

The school district will advertise for applications from candidates who are interested in filling the seat for the remainder of Pajula’s term.

The annual school district meeting is scheduled for Oct. 22.