MSAD #58 director Sue Fotter of Eustis is sworn in by Superintendent Quenten Clark at a recent school board meeting. (David Hart photo) SALEM –- An MSAD 58 school board meeting started and ended last Thursday by paying respects to board member Tom MacDonald of Eustis who passed away Feb. 13.

Board chairman Mike Pond credited MacDonald’s dedication to the board, his love for the high school students and his passion for athletics. He then asked for a moment of silence from nearly 25 people in the room. MacDonald served 14 years on the MSAD #58 board.

Before his passing, MacDonald reached out to explain that he wanted someone else to serve in his seat to represent Eustis by declaring his vacancy. The board accepted his declaration last month.

On Thursday, March 11 the school board swore in Sue Fotter who was appointed by the town’s selectmen. Fotter will serve the remaining two years of MacDonald’s terms.

To close the meeting, Superintendent Quenten Clark recommended that they spend $1,000 from the board contingency fund to purchase books for the library which demonstrate MacDonald’s interests in Maine history, sports and historic memorabilia. The books would be shelved in an area that honors the longtime board member.

“Mr. MacDonald has contributed many years of service on the school board, many years of military service before that and later was a U.S. customs agent,” Clark said. In his later years MacDonald had a successful business buying and selling historic memorabilia, Clark explained, and was a founder of the Dead River Historic Society.

With sadness, the board unanimously agreed with Clark’s recommendation.