The four trustees of the Denair Unified School District will hold a special meeting Thursday night to interview and then select the person to fill the vacant fifth seat on the board.

The candidates are Tina Marie Gresio, Kenneth Austin Rickard and Carmen Wilson. They all submitted applications by the Aug. 19 deadline to fill the remaining 15 months in the term of longtime board member John Plett, who resigned Aug. 9 citing health reasons.

The remaining trustees — Kathi Dunham-Filson, Regina Gomes, Ray Prock Jr. and Crystal Sousa — decided to appoint Plett’s replacement rather than hold a costly special election. The term ends in November 2020.

Thursday’s special meeting begins at 7 p.m. The board will interview the three applicants in public, then will have an open discussion and vote that night to choose Plett’s successor. The new trustee will be sworn it at the Sept. 12 board meeting.

Gresio has lived in Denair for more than 20 years and has children attending Denair schools. She has been active volunteer in various community events, including Fourth of July and Halloween as well as  Boy Scouts and sports teams.

Rickard taught for 12 years in the Hughson Unified School District. He is a member of the Turlock Church of Christ and a former Denair Lion. He also has participated in community and sports events. Wilson has two children in Denair schools and has participated on school site committees. She works at the Center for Human Services in Modesto and has been a board member for the Stanislaus County Youth Development Committee and the Turlock American Little League, and taught Sunday school at Connection Point Church in Denair.