School Board members to serve staggered terms

By Randy Bell

The Clinton Board of Aldermen has taken care of some overdue business, reappointing four of the local school district’s five trustees to staggered terms, with the longest-serving member scheduled to roll off in July to be replaced by a new trustee. At their February 17 meeting, the aldermen approved a resolution which reads, in part:
“It has come to the attention of the City of Clinton that it is not in compliance (with state law) insomuch as it has not appointed, in more than five years, any of the members of the Clinton Public School District Board of Trustees.”

The law states that School Board members should serve five-year terms, with a new term beginning the first Saturday in March, “but so chosen that the term of office of one member shall expire each year.”

The resolution calls for Derek Holmes, who’s been a trustee since 2012, to hold over as a School Board member until July 1 “to give the City sufficient time to find, select and appoint a replacement for such member, at which time such replacement member shall begin serving a term ending on February 28, 2031.”

Regarding the other School Board members, the resolution states that:

· Dr. Matt Thomas, a trustee since 2015, is reappointed to a term ending March 5, 2027.
· Paula DeYoung, serving on the School Board since 2015, is reappointed to a term ending March 3, 2028.
· Dr. Felicia Gavin, a trustee since 2017, will serve a term ending March 2, 2029.
· Bernard Kines, who has been on the School Board since 2020, is reappointed to a term ending March 1, 2030.

With Alderman at Large Robert Chapman and Ward 4 Alderman Chip Wilbanks recusing themselves from the discussion and vote, the resolution was approved 3-2, with Ward 1 Alderwoman Karen Godfrey, Ward 5 Alderwoman Beverly Oliver and Ward 6 Alderman James Lott voting in favor and Ward-2 Alderwoman TJ McSparrin and Ward-3 Alderwoman Amanda Jones voting against.

McSparrin explained her opposition by saying, “I am certainly in favor of staggering the roll off of the experienced School Board members, but the timing in this resolution gave me pause. I was apprehensive to appoint a replacement four months after the term started. I felt it would be better to stay with the traditional times and appoint the next [School] Board member in March 2027.” “Our Board [of Aldermen] may not have agreed on the timeline,” continued McSparrin, “but we certainly agree this is a crucial [School] Board to our city and will build a list of qualified individuals to fill the positions in the future.”

Jones believes the Board of Aldermen made a “hasty” decision.

“I wanted to wait one year out of respect for those who have served our school district faithfully for so many years and to allow time to develop a clear, thoughtful step-down plan,” said Jones. “It was also important to me that we fully understand the role and responsibilities of [School] Board members, something we still do not have complete clarity on.”
“I felt strongly that slowing down, communicating clearly and doing this the right way would better serve our students, educators and community,” said Jones. Jones says just because the City hadn’t been compliant with its School Board appointments, the Board of Aldermen shouldn’t feel compelled to move quickly.

However, Godfrey, told her colleagues at the February 17 meeting that she doesn’t consider it being hasty to replace a School Board member in July.
“I think that gives us plenty of time – and the same amount of time that we would have used in a normal process – to make nominations, to do interviewing, for us to put those people before this Board [of Aldermen] and to make a decision,” said Godfrey. “It’s not any more rushed than it would be on a regular appointment.”

Mayor Will Purdie says this will likely be a topic of discussion at upcoming Board of Aldermen work sessions.
“I would anticipate that we would set some sort of deadline for the Board members to get nominations in, and then we will work through the process of vetting and interviewing and ultimately arrive at a candidate,” said Purdie.

Clinton Public School District Board of Trustees:

TRUSTEE, TERM START – TERM END
Derek Holmes, 2012 – July 2026
Dr. Matt Thomas, 2015 – March 2027
Paula DeYoung, 2015 – March 2028
Dr. Felicia Gavin, 2017 – March 2029
Bernard Kines, 2020 – March 2030