Bennett named School Board President

A 10-year board of education member in Three Rivers was named its president Monday.
Pete Bennett, 62, was nominated and ultimately selected to serve as leader of the seven-member panel. He takes over the duty from Waneta Truckey, who inherited the role after Mike Bosma last summer gave it up but remained on the board.
Susan Schmidtendorff was chosen vice president and will oversee the board’s monthly meetings in Bennett’s absence, when circumstances warrant.
Among the matters Bennett fielded as board president was his reading of rules regarding public comment.
Bennett said anyone making comments deemed slanderous, libelous, offensive or defamatory will forfeit their right to speak. Bennett said the measure is necessary to avoid the board being a party to such comments should the statements become subject of a civil lawsuit.