>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

The La Grande School Board’s search for a new superintendent has been dealt a setback.

A finalist the board wanted to hire has been lost to a Central Oregon school district.

Rick Molitor, a Central Washington educator, was named the new superintendent of the Madras-based Jefferson County School District on Tuesday, according to The Bulletin newspaper in Bend. Molitor, 41, has been associate superintendent of the Wahluke School District since 2003. He received a three-year contract and will be paid $120,000-plus in his first year.

He is taking the reins of a district facing a projected budget shortfall of $3.1 million. The Jefferson County School Board voted last week to close the district’s Westside Elementary School next year in an effort to trim the budget. By the time Molitor takes over as superintendent July 1 the necessary budget cuts will have been made, The Bulletin reported.

The La Grande School Board had offered a contract to Molitor, board member Michael Frasier said this morning. The offer was made after Molitor was interviewed March 19 by the board in a closed session.

Molitor’s loss leaves the La Grande School District with one of its two finalists, Marc Thielman, superintendent of the Wallowa School District.

Thielman said Wednesday night that he has not been offered a contract by La Grande or told that his status as a finalist has changed.

“It has been great to be part of the process. It has been a lot of fun,’’ Thielman said.

The Wallowa superintendent added that “it would be great to get an offer.’’

Thielman said he has been impressed with how the school board has conducted its search. He said everything from school district tours the finalists received to a March 19 public reception were handled exceptionally well.

The La Grande district issued a press release this week stating that the board will meet later to “explore options for the continuation of its search.’’

The board will meet in closed session to discuss its options soon after spring break, which ends Sunday.

The La Grande School Board is seeking a successor for Jay Rowell, who resigned after five years as superintendent in June 2007. Interim Superintendent Irv Nikolai plans to step down at the end of June.