News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
An interview date and even a potential hiring date have been set for Director of School applicants by the Clay County Board of Education.
Applicants will have an open interview during a special called meeting on November 9, with the potential to be hired two days later at regular board of education meeting. Board Member James Hatcher suggested that with such an important decision, interviewing and hiring should not be on the same day.
“We’re looking at fifteen minutes a candidate and that gives us a few days to set back and reflect on what we really did,” Hatcher said. “Because hearing it one minute and deciding the next… I think you rush to judgement, get a little carried away with the last candidate, specifically because you talked to them last and you don’t have time to think it over.”
Chairman Benji Bailey said they received four applicants, three being local and one being from Overton County. He said the last time they advertised for a new director of schools they only received two applications.
The November 9 special called interview meeting is at 6:00 PM and open to the public, however attendees are not allowed to ask questions during the interviews. Bailey said that having the boards legal counsel on-hand during that meeting would be a wise decision.
“If something came up and we had a question, a legal question maybe that’s something we could use our attorney for,” Bailey said. “And recess to discuss a confidential matter at that point.”
The discussion of whether legal counsel would be needed was brought up during board questions about the interviews being open to everyone. The director of schools opening became available when Matt Eldridge announced his retirement during the September Board of Education meeting.
