West Greene School Board reorganizes
ROGERSVILLE – At is reorganization meeting Thursday, West Greene School Board re-elected Regina MacDowell president and Butch Cassiday vice president.
MacDowell, who will serve her fourth consecutive year as president, was nominated by board member Joe Coss, whose motion called for re-electing the board’s existing officers, MacDowell and Cassiday, for another year.
Board member Chad Scott nominated Mike Pikula for president; however, the motion failed to receive a second. MacDowell and Cassiday were elected by a unanimous vote.
Scott was elected board representative to the Career and Technology Center Joint Operating Committee. Kelly Loughman was elected alternative CTC representative.
The board agreed to continue to meet the fourth Thursday of each month, except in May, when the meeting will be May 21; November, when it will be Nov. 19; and December, when it will be Dec. 10.
The board holds its pre-board meeting at 6 p.m. and begins its legislative meeting at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held in the middle-senior high school cafeteria, except in March, when it will be held at the CTC; April, when it will be at Graysville Elementary; and May, when it will be at Springhill-Freeport Elementary.
The board also voted to hold committee meetings at 6 p.m. the second Thursday of each month and building and sites committee meetings at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of each month, except in January, when the building and sites meeting will be Jan. 8. Committee meetings are held in the middle-senior high cafeteria.
The board noted it reserves the right to take official action during committee meetings.
During the regular legislative meeting that followed reorganization, the board tabled action on approving three bus drivers after being informed one of the drivers might have already begun driving a school bus without providing all the required documentation.
Board solicitor Barbara Graham told the board by contract all drivers are required first to be approved by the board or the superintendent. Superintendent Thelma Szarell said she would inform the bus contractor, Petermann Transportation, the three drivers are not to drive until all documentation is presented and they are approved by her or the board.
Petermann manager Bill Parnham told the board last month the company has had problems finding drivers because of the need for drivers with commercial driver’s licenses in the natural gas industry.
Petermann’s contract expires at the end of the school year. Graham reported she is preparing specifications to place the contract out to bid.
After completing the agenda, the board met in executive session with consultants it hired last month to investigate the cause of the collapse of the retaining wall constructed as part of the new elementary center project. The board remained in closed session late Thursday.