Dave Keller, a three-term Plumas Unified School District trustee, didn’t file for the office in the Nov. 5. 2024 election. Neither did anyone else.
Due to an obscure election code for school boards, if no one files to run, the incumbent stays in the seat until a successor is found and appointed by the board. That leaves Keller to find his own replacement.
Joining the board
The PUSD school board and Plumas County Office of Education includes five districts with an equal population size. District 2, which Keller represents, is geographically the largest in the county. It covers a sprawling area that includes the east shore of Lake Almanor, Greenville, Taylorsville, Feather River Canyon, Bucks Lake, the north portion of Quincy (Chandler Road area), Spring Garden and Greenhorn.
Keller has served on the Plumas Unified School Board since 2016. He replaced local Indian Valley attorney Bret Cook, who served two four-year terms before him. When Cook decided not to run again after his second term, Keller took up the mantle. Keller said he was inspired by encouraging words from former district superintendent and teacher Mike Chelotti.
“You should run, you would do a good job,” he recalled Chelotti saying.
Chelotti and Keller both were coaches at Greenville Junior-Senior High School at the time. Keller coached baseball and football for three or four years. He knew the students and teachers at Greenville High. Three of his own children had graduated from the school, and a fourth graduated from Quincy Junior-Senior High School.
Keller ran unopposed in 2016 and won the seat. On the winter day he was sworn into office, Keller recalled, there was a horrible snowstorm. He was following Indian Valley resident Ken Roby back to Greenville in his car. It took two hours to get from Quincy to Greenville due to poor visibility.
Eight years of service
The position turned out to be what he had thought it would be: “To serve kids. Board members advocate for these students and for resources for them.” That, he said, was the most rewarding part of the job. An early success was the passage of Measure B on Nov. 8, 2016. The $50 million bond measure allowed PUSD to upgrade school facilities and other infrastructure.
But the job wasn’t always easy. The 2022 retirement of superintendent Terry Oestreich and her passing two years later — “that was really hard,” Keller said. Oestreich had led the district through the COVID pandemic and the Dixie Fire. She and the district staff were fantastic, Keller said.
When Keller and his family lost their home to the Dixie Fire, they were able to relocate to the north end of Quincy, within the district 2 boundaries, which allowed him to continue serving as trustee.
During his time on the board, the October 2024 resignation of superintendent Bill Roderick was the most difficult experience for Keller personally, he said. Roderick’s departure was strictly a personnel issue that Keller said he cannot discuss. But he did say the board should have asked Roderick more questions when he was making recommendations.
Today, a whole new array of challenges faces the board. As of October 2024, the district financials showed a $2 million budget shortfall. “We prepared the district budget three years in advance,” said Keller. “Costs go up and unexpected things happen.”
Search for a successor
When Keller’s seat came up for reelection in 2024, he was ready for a change. Unfortunately, no one else filed to run for his trustee seat. Keller said he had the option to terminate his position, leaving a vacancy on the board. He consulted with an attorney, who said that he has an obligation to represent district 2 until a replacement is found. So Keller decided to stay on as an interim board member.
A trustee is responsible for “the general control and direction of education in the district,” according to the job description, which has been posted on the district website since September. Interested candidates must be at least 18 years old and live within the boundaries of district 2. An annual stipend of $500.00 is included.
For his successor, Keller offers this advice: “Take the job seriously… There is no room for gossip and conspiracies on the street. Facts are indisputable, math doesn’t lie. Work closely with other board members and staff. Check in once a week with the district office. Stop by the campuses. Read board materials and be prepared for the meetings.”
“We do the best we can,” Keller said of himself and his fellow board members. “It’s all about the students 100% of the time. The decisions made by the board affect the students.”
To apply for the vacancy, fill out an online application or pick up an application at the district office at 50 Church Street, Quincy.
