Sheriff Gilligan?

With three veteran members (plus a secretary) set to leave the Cincinnati school board this month, the board's meeting on Monday was abnormally full of political pageantry.

Atop the list of was a lengthy resolution honoring John J. Gilligan, the former Governor of Ohio and two-term school board veteran.

The resolution noted his "decades of additional public service," highlighting his Silver Star he earned in World War II, six terms on Cincinnati City Council, one term in Congress, one term as Ohio Governor and two terms as a school board member, along with other non-elected positions he's held.

Gilligan, 86, has not said whether he intends to remain in public life. But throughout his final year on the board, he's joked that he intends to challenge Sheriff Simon Leis Jr. in the 2008 elections.

"I always wanted to drive a tank in a parade," he said once.

Also honored were Rick Williams, who lost his bid for re-election, and Florence Newell, who retired along with Gilligan. The trio all were first elected to the board in the 1999 elections. Another resolution honored board secretary Suzann Tragesser, who's leaving after 30-plus years.

Three new members -- Eve Bolton, Chris Nelms and Michael Flannery -- will replace the exiting trio.