DOTHAN: D5 School Board Member Amy Bonds is not seeking re-election. As the meeting began Board Member Amy Bonds stated that she felt the employment of the new school Superintendent needed to be made by the school board members which would be elected on August 5. Chairman Scott Childers and D6 Board Member Aurie Jenkins agree.
When the item came up D3 Board Member Melanie Hill, who is not seeking re-election, made the motion for the board to select two finalists for the new Superintendent. Tonight was the least meeting of Dr. Dennie Coe who is retiring after 36 years in education. Coe will officially retire in 7 days.
D4 School Board Member Brenda Guilford requested go down the line one by one of who each wanted as finalists to interview.
Strickland: Dr. Garrick Askew and Dr. Kari McGann: Hill: Askew and McGann Jones: Askew and McGann
Guilford: Askew and Dr, Charles Corbitt Childers: Dr. Donnie Chambers No second choice
Bonds: Chambers Jenkins: Chambers and McKann
Then there was confusion on how many votes each person received. D4 Brenda Guilford was totally confused and confusing. D6 Jenkins withdrew her second choice and went with only Chamers, which was allowed because of discussion. A second time each school board members named their choices. Board Members Strickland, Hill, Jones and Guilford named: Askew and McGann, and Chairman Childers, Bond and Jenkins named Chambers.
So on a 4 to 3 vote the two finalists to be interviews are Dr. Kari McGann ( Supt. in New Jersey ) and Dr. Garrick Askew ( Athens Georgia ).
Strickland and Hill, who are not seeking re-election and have no children in the school system, and Jones and Guilford who are seeking re-election but have no children in the school system, are bound and determined to name the new school Superintendent before they leave office. Interviews will be upcoming.
Current Superintendent Dennis Coe thanked everyone who worked with him in the system. After 36 years he is retiring. He then stood, shook every school board members hands, hands in the audience, received an applause, he was able to walk out and leave the school board meeting at the beginning.
They named an acting Chairman but did not catch the name.
