AUBURN - The blue frosted "Going Away" cake was still fresh on paper plates when Auburn school board member Chuck Mason announced that he may not be leaving after all.

Though his seat was filled by Charlie Cator in the district's May election, Mason hopes to stay on the board for another year by filling the position recently left vacant by Rosey Oaks-Lee.

"I feel bad that you guys got me a cake and a present," Mason said at Tuesday night's school board meeting. "But I want to let the board know I would stick around for another year if the board will have me."

Earlier this year, Mason, who has been on the board since 2002, announced he would not be running for re-election so that he could focus on finishing his undergraduate degree at Cornell University.

Oaks-Lee announced her resignation at the board's June 14 meeting, stating that she was leaving the school district to join her husband, Leon, at the First Baptist Church in Manlius. Because she did not resign before the election, the board was left with the task of filling her seat.

The board has three options when dealing with a vacant seat: they can leave it empty; hold a special election in which the public chooses a new board member; or they can appoint someone to the seat.

According to the New York State School Board Association, it is common for the seat to be filled by the next highest vote-getter in the school board election, but the procedure is not a law.

In the election held in May, Joseph Leogrande was the fourth highest vote-getter with 1,235 votes.

Board members Kent Brandstetter, David Lansford and Charles Beck will be heading a committee to determine how the seat should be filled.

If they choose to appoint Mason, or any other community member, their recommendation must then be made before the board who will then vote.

"My schedule has freed up, and I think the board is doing a lot of great things that I would like to continue with," Mason said.

In other news:

The school board will continue to look into the district's gymnastics program, which may be cut to help fund other district programs.

If eliminated, the funding allocated for gymnastics will go toward other athletics and the money set aside to cover the coaches stipend will be put toward a new stipend created for the position of a character education program.

The gymnastics program came into discussion while negotiating the new teacher contract. According to superintendent John Plume the activity was chosen off of a list of 40 extra-curricular activities because gymnastics is shrinking as a sport statewide.

The board will re-address the issue at their July 19 meeting.

Staff writer Ashley Lipsky can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or ashley.lipsky@lee.net