Scott Muska resigns from RCS school board

ROCHESTER/ROCHESTER HILLS/OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Scott Muska, a trustee on the Rochester Community Schools Board of Education, has stepped down from the school board.

Board of Education President Michelle Bueltel said Muska announced his resignation in an email to her on Monday, April 10.

“I am writing this communication to serve as a formal record of my resignation from the Rochester Community Schools Board of Trustees, effective immediately,” Muska wrote in the email. “The ferocity and pace of things in career and life have a gravitational pull that is preventing me from participating in a meaningful way. That is not deserving of our team nor the community in general. Thank you for being such an excellent colleague over the last 3+ years. I know that more committed and consistent hands will serve the role better.”

Muska — who lives in Rochester with his wife and daughter — has served on the board since his appointment in July 2019. He was then elected by voters to a six-year term in 2020.

Muska is a business owner and investor who has spent most of his career in business development and operations, and as a professional speaker and a former college and professional basketball assistant coach.

Bueltel made a public announcement of Muska’s resignation during the April 10 Board of Education meeting.

“Mr. Scott Muska submitted his resignation this afternoon. At this point, the board has 30 days to fill that vacancy. More information will be coming out about the process and the timing for next steps, so please look for that,” Bueltel said during the meeting.

An April 13 email to the community further alerting district families of the vacancy states that the board is grateful to Muska for his contributions.

“During his nearly four years of service, Scott was a strategic thinker with a creative mind and a collaborative attitude. We wish him the best and thank him for his dedication to Rochester Community Schools,” Bueltel said in the email.

The board has 30 days from the resignation to fill the vacancy, according to Michigan election law. District officials said that when a replacement is appointed and takes the oath of office, their term will begin immediately and continue through Dec. 31, 2024.

A permanent successor will be elected by the public in the 2024 November election to serve the remainder of Muska’s term, which ends in 2026.

General duties and responsibilities of a board member include coordinating initiatives with the superintendent, establishing policy for the district on the advice of legal counsel, adopting the budget and aligning funding priorities with district goals, determining school facility needs, and responding to community ideas.

Commitments include attending and preparing for the Board of Education meetings and closed sessions; participating in school assignments, which average approximately six meetings or activities per year; participating in district liaison assignments, which average one per month; and joining in commemoration ceremonies, including commencements and honors events. Other duties may include approximately two additional meetings or activities per month.

For consideration as a candidate, the application, along with a resume, had to have been received by board President Michelle Bueltel by noon on Thursday, April 20.

School officials said a special meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25, at 3838 Rochester Road in Rochester to identify which applicants will move to the interview phase.

Another special meeting will be held May 2 to meet the candidates, conduct public interviews, and select a trustee.

To be eligible to serve on the Rochester Community Schools Board of Education, all candidates must be a registered voter in the district, at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Michigan for at least 30 days, and a district resident. Anyone who has been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty, deceit, fraud or a breach of the public trust related to an elective office or position of government employment will be disqualified.

Muska did not respond for further comment.

For more information, visit the RCS website at www.rochester.k12.mi.us.