The next leader of the Jamestown Public Schools District appears to have been selected.

Dr. Bret Apthorpe, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, said Friday during his weekly Facebook Live session with parents and students that the school board has made its decision to find his successor. Apthorpe, hired at JPS in June 2017, announced in February he planned to retire.

The next superintendent is expected to be announced at a special meeting of the school board Monday at 6 p.m. The board has been interviewing candidates the last few weeks.

In an interview late last month, Paul Abbott, schools board president, said the board was “deep in the process of hiring (for the superintendent position). We’re going to pick the best person for the position. … We want who is best for the long-term.”

Apthorpe’s last official day with the district is June 30. “I’ve long said I’ll stay on as long as the board will have me,” Apthorpe said Friday. “I love this community and I love this school. I intent to help out as long as I can be helpful.”

Apthorpe also provided an update on the ongoing vote for the district’s $88 million 2020-21 spending plan, which the superintendent has dubbed the “pandemic budget.” Votes for the budget and school board — as is the case across New York state — are being done through absentee ballot due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Thursday, Apthorpe said more than 2,000 absentee ballots had been returned to the district. Included on absentee ballots for JPS district residents is a proposal for $375,000 annual funding for the James Prendergast Library.

“It’s amazing to me,” he said. “I think it’s terrific. I love the fact that everybody is exercising their right to vote, and I hope that everyone has done their homework. Our district office staff has been, just like our food service workers and our custodian group, I mean, they have to open each (envelope) by hand and match the signature. … They will be collecting these ballots through June 9 at 5 p.m.”

Having ballots mailed directly to district residents has caused a spike in those taking part in the budget vote process.

“Normally, I think our budget votes are in the hundreds, and here we’re in the thousands. So, that’s just terrific,” Apthorpe said. “It’s exciting to see everyone participating.”

The superintendent said it’s likely the budget will have to be “managed constantly” due to uncertainty over how much state aid the district will be receiving.

“As soon as we know what the revenue is, as soon as we know what our income is, we’ll have to go back to the budget and see what are things can be reinstated or what more reductions will have to be made, depending on what that income is.”