Ohio County Board of Education Will Wait on New Member Search
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WHEELING -- Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller laid out a timeline Monday for appointing a new member to the board of education, but in the end current members opted to wait to start the process because it wasn't legally on the agenda for their consideration.
Grace Norton, elected to the board in 2020, died Saturday. The board has 45 days from the time of the vacancy -- or until July 4 -- to appoint someone to the empty seat, Miller told board members.
If board members fail to appoint someone by that time, the state superintendent of schools must appoint someone, according to state law.
Miller presented Monday night a "notice of intent" prepared by attorneys for the school district, which spelled out the board's effort to seek out a board member. This legal advertisement would be placed with the newspaper, she explained.
Candidates interested in the position must live in Magisterial District 1, which includes the Warwood, GC&P, Valley Grove and Triadelphia areas, Miller told board members.
Each of the three magisterial districts in Ohio County must be represented on the board, with District 2 and District 3 already having two members on the board. Norton was the only representative of District 1.
Miller proposed a deadline for applications on June 9, with interviews for candidates happening on June 15. Her timeline called for board members to formally swear in the new member at their July 10 meeting.
Whoever is eventually appointed will fill out Norton's term, which expires June 30, 2024.
Board member David Croft - also an attorney - requested that the matter of the timeline for appointment instead be considered at the board's next meeting on June 12 as it wasn't legally on the agenda for Monday's meeting.
June 12 would mark the 23rd day of the 45-day period, Miller noted.
"The notice of vacancy is something our attorney came up with - it's not statutory," he explained. "I would like to have a more precise discussion about how this plays out with counsel here."
Miller said she knew she couldn't put the matter on Monday's already posted agenda, as there is a three-day legal requirement for new items. But she thought the board might want to get started on the process anyway as there was only a 45 day window.
Member Molly Aderholt, also an attorney, agreed with Croft's assessment.
"We really can't talk about it, because it wasn't on the agenda," she said.
The matter was then tabled.
In another matter, board members approved the transfer of current Warwood School vice principal Jim Rowing to the role of substitute principal beginning Aug. 2.
School officials explained after the meeting that current principal Joey Subasic was taking a leave to pursue an additional degree as a school psychologist.
Additionally, Robert Demarest - previously a French teacher and chairman of the foreign language department at Wheeling Park High School - was named as substitute vice principal at the Warwood School, with an emphasis on the elementary school side.
Board president Andy Garber served as principal at the Warwood School during his career, and he commended the decision of having the vice principal with the elementary students
"By having this you'll be able to focus on the needs of your side of the building now," he told Demarest. "It's a big building, and that's a wonderful thing for Warwood. I'm happy for them."