VIENNA — The Mathews Board of Education will have a new fifth member joining its ranks in January. It’s just a question of who.

At Wednesday’s board meeting, the board approved a series of resolutions that allowed it to declare a vacant spot, starting with the irrevocable resignations of board members Mark Haddle and Kenneth Wallace to avoid either one being considered a holdover member.

Haddle, who served on the board for four years, withdrew his candidacy in November’s election and Wallace, who served for 17 years, chose not to run. Board president Joel Polonus ran for reelection, while David Wise entered the race as a write-in.

The board then approved a resolution declaring a lack of a holdover member, which gave way for the board to direct Treasurer Bradley Panek to post a notice to the media, the district’s website and the “all call” system seeking a new board member.

Superintendent Russell McQuaide said the deadline for applicants to submit a notice is no later than noon Jan. 1 via email at bradley.panek@mathewslocal.org.

McQuaide said the board will consider all candidates and their qualifications in a four-day window, from Jan. 5 to Jan. 9, and the vacancy will be filled via majority vote the week of Jan. 12.

With plans for their organizational meeting Jan. 5, McQuaide encouraged the board to clear out their schedules between Jan. 6 and Jan. 9 for interviews for the position. He suggested the board have its regular meeting Jan. 14, so that they’ll have a person in place.

“We’ll have one meeting after the organizational meeting to get it together,” McQuaide said. “So if we had to have an emergency meeting for something that happened, you’d also have to vote on that person, too.”