LISBON — The Lisbon School Committee named Chris Rugullies as its fifth member Monday night at a special meeting.

The position will last until June 2025 when the three-year seat is up for election.

Rugullies held the position on an interim basis after the June 2024 election in which no one had submitted candidacy for the seat. He has several years of commercial banking experience and is senior vice president for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.  

Only one other person submitted their candidacy for the position. Vernon Lickfield, an English teacher at Erskine Academy, said he wanted the position to contribute to the local school system by ensuring a safe and productive environment for students.

“I see firsthand all the struggles students go through,” Lickfield said. “It’s one thing to make decisions for students on a very elevated 6,000-foot level. I have that experience of boots on the ground.”

Rugullies said his desire to rejoin the board is come from a passion of making sure children get a good education.

“I’m passionate about our kids,” Rugullies said. “I think kids today face a lot of challenges … (and) they deserve our attention. I think about the challenges we see at the high school, trying to rebuild rapport between administrators and staff.”

Chair Margaret Galligan-Schmidt said the most important qualities she felt candidates should possess are a willingness to be open and transparent and to “push your own limits.”

Member Len Lednum said the two big responsibilities candidates need to be able to commit to are education and money. It made the choice for the committee difficult as both Rugullies and Lickfield more than qualified for the committee, all agreed.

“Remember, this is awkward because it really is such a hard decision to make,” said member Laura Craig.

Craig encouraged the candidates, no matter the committee’s decision, to run for election next June when the position goes back to the ballot.

Rugullies was selected by unanimous decision.

In other business, the committee hired a new multilingual learner teacher for the district, and a guidance counselor and English teacher for Lisbon High School. All three positions started effective on Monday.