By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — A candidate who was elected to the Warsaw School Board in November has announced she is stepping down before being sworn into office.
Questions about Mallika Klingaman’s eligibility arose after the Nov. 7 election after she apparently moved to a new residence outside of District 3.
In a short statement issued Thursday, the Warsaw Community Schools Board of Trustees announced Klingaman was withdrawing.
In an email to News Now Warsaw, School Board President Heather Reichenbach said the school board will now begin the process to fill the vacancy for District 3 after the first of the year.
It was unclear how that process would work.
Elle Turley just completed her second term as the district representative and chose not to seek re-election
As of Monday, the school board had begun looking at options on how to handle the eligibility issue and had instructed an attorney look look into the issue further.
The following is part of the statement issued by the school board:
“We understand that public service opportunities can arise unexpectedly, and the timing of these opportunities is often unpredictable. With Mallika’s decision to move, she finds herself in the difficult position of being unable to serve as she had hoped. As a result, Mallika decided to withdraw as a Trustee-elect.”
“A recent graduate of the Tiger Ambassadors program, Mallika generously dedicates her time and talents to Warsaw Community Schools. Whether supporting her children’s classrooms, serving on various school committees, or contributing to other community organizations, Mallika’s commitment to children and her community is unwavering. While she will not serve on the school board, we are confident that Mallika will continue to play an invaluable role in supporting our schools, our staff, and, importantly, our students, in many other ways.”
