ST. CROIX — The Government Employees’ Retirement System board of trustees has unanimously voted to remove trustee Ronald Russell from his position, citing repeated unexcused absences that violated the board’s meeting attendance policy, according to the board chair.
Russell, an attorney and former senator, joined the board on May 19, 2021. His term was set to expire on May 18.
The board’s removal of Russell in executive session during a meeting on Thursday stems from a specific provision in the board’s rules regarding meeting participation.
“The policy states that three consecutive unexcused absences constitute grounds for removal from the board,” Dwane Callwood, board chair, said. “He has had six consecutive unexcused absences.”
Those absences were considered “unexcused,” meaning Russell did not formally notify the board or request to be excused in advance.
Russell has relocated off island for medical care, according to a February 27 filing in Superior Court in which he sought to withdraw as counsel for a pair of defendants. In a separate filing on July 7, 2025, Russell similarly requested to be relieved as counsel in another case, citing the need for emergency medical care and stating he would be off island for an indefinite period.
Callwood, however, said the board did not receive formal notice that would have allowed Russell’s absences to be considered excused. When asked whether Russell has any recourse following the board’s decision, the chair indicated the matter was settled.
Attention now turns to how the vacant seat will be filled. Unlike some board positions, Russell’s seat was not a gubernatorial appointment.
“He was elected by the retirees in the St. Croix District,” Callwood said. “So, his seat was not one of those that’s appointed by the governor.”
As a result, the replacement process will require a new election among eligible retirees. The board had recently completed a recruitment period for candidates, though that window has now closed.
“We actually just had a recruitment period,” Callwood said. “I believe the window just closed, so we’ll take another look at it, and we’ll, at some point in the near future, open up another window to recruit someone to fill his position — his seat on the board.”
Interested candidates must complete nomination packages, which are made available both at GERS offices and online. Submissions are then reviewed to ensure eligibility before advancing to the election stage.
Once candidates are finalized, the election itself is handled by an independent contractor.
“The System actually contracts a firm from outside of the territory to conduct the election so that there’s no question of improprieties,” the chair said, adding that the voting process is “primarily online.”
While the board begins taking steps toward filling the vacancy, no firm timeline has been established for when the election will take place.
“I don’t want to get ahead of the entire board,” Callwood said. “I’m just the chair. I’m just one vote.”
Callwood said all board members present during Thursday’s meeting voted to remove Russell. Those in attendance were Callwood, Tahmin Clarke, Andre Dorsey, Vincent Liger, and Vice Chair Leona Smith. Russell was absent, along with Personnel Director Cindy Richardson, an ex-officio member.
This article has been updated to clarify that trustee Liger was in attendance; he joined the meeting after the roll call. An earlier version misstated his absence.
