We're not entirely against the idea of the Southern Cayuga Central School District Board of Education appointing someone to fill a vacant seat, but we'd like to see the process be one of open public discourse.

While we would prefer the most democratic method - a special election - be used to fill this one-year position, left vacant by a resignation, we understand that the board has legitimate concerns about the cost and rather lengthy delay involved.

But if the board is going to appoint a new member, it should, at the very least, open up the appointment process to the public. There should be a public call for applicants and time set aside for those interested to speak publicly about their qualifications.

The board appears to have already violated the state Open Meetings law by discussing the appointment Tuesday in executive session, and it appears that plans to make an appointment on June 8 have already been made. That would be a mistake.

If the board members make a decision without hearing from any and all interested parties publicly, they will have done a disservice to the taxpayers.

Without knowing how they came to their decision, community members will have every reason to be suspicious that the new member was chosen simply to help forward the agenda of one or more current members.

And we don't buy the argument that because only two people chose to run for two open seats in the recent school board elections that there aren't any other likely candidates around. There may be people ready, willing and able to serve who will be overlooked if board members keep their candidate search entirely among themselves.

Sure, it's only a one-year appointment, but the new board member will not only be a position of breaking critical tie votes, the person will carry incumbent status into next year's vote, should he or she choose to run for re-election.

We urge the Southern Cayuga school board to keep its search open and let the public weigh in before a decision gets made.