Former Minneapolis school board member Theartrice 'T" Williams is among fifteen residents who have applied to replace his former colleague Lydia Lee, who will resign from the school board effective Dec. 31, as we reported. Below is a list of the 15 applicants, including Williams, who lost his seat during the November 2010 election.

Williams was the lone incumbent in that election. He ran without DFL or labor endorsement, because of his stand on contract negotiations with teachers and janitors. The decision may have played a role in him losing his reelection bid, my colleague Steve Brandt reported in August 2010.

When the school board had a vacancy in spring 2010, former school board member Peggy Flanagan beat out 11 other applicants to serve the remainder of a term. It remains to be seen if the current board will turn to an experienced member this time around. The person picked to replace Lee will serve until the end of 2012.

The school board will host a special meeting Thursday, Dec. 15, to conduct public interviews of the five highest-rated candidates at district headquarters, 870 Broadway Av. NE. The district has not yet announced the time of those interviews.

The board will select Lee's replacement during their Tuesday, Dec. 20, meeting, also at district headquarters.

School district spokeswoman Rachel Hicks has promised to provide a list of the finalists before the end of the day. Here are the names of the applicants:

Brooke Magid Hart

Bruce Drewlow

Cynthia D. Booker

David Joseph DeGrio

Dick Velner

Harry Grigsby

James Everett

Jen Eichten

Jonathan Luknic

Kelley Leaf

Kerek Taylor

Kim Ellison

Mary Hanson

Peggy Clark

Theartrice Williams