State Charter School Board member resigns

A member of Utah's State Charter School Board has stepped down, citing time constraints and difficulty attending meetings.

Greg Haws, who joined the charter board last year, resigned his seat on July 24 during a personal conversation with board chairwoman Kristen Elinkowski.

Haws said he has missed board meetings because of the commute to Salt Lake City from St. George — where he resides for roughly half the year — and expected more absences due to an upcoming surgery.

"I talked to them and said maybe the public would be better served if there was somebody who is more available," Haws said Monday. "I served for a year and tried my best."

Prior to his appointment to the State Charter School Board, Haws served multiple terms as an elected member of the Utah Board of Education. He also sat on the board of the Utah Transit Authority and the Utah Board of Regents.

Members of the State Charter School Board are appointed by the governor to four-year terms. The board acts as an authorizer of charter schools — public schools that operate independently of Utah's 41 school districts — under the authority of the state school board.

Haws said his resignation was fully in response to his personal circumstances and did not reflect dissatisfaction with the charter board or Utah's charter school community.

"I'm not resigning in protest or over any vote or anything like that," he said.

In a prepared statement, Elinkowski said the charter board benefited from Haws' experience and perspective.

"He will be missed," she said, "and we wish him well."

bwood@sltrib.com

Twitter: @bjaminwood