Wanted: Five-month school board member for Murray

Published 4:49 pm Thursday, July 24, 2008

By Mark Millican

markmillican@daltoncitizen.com



MURRAY COUNTY — The opportunity is there for a concerned citizen to serve in a public office without running a campaign — at least until the end of the year.

The members of the Murray County Board of Education are canvassing District 3 for someone to become the seventh member of the board until January. Democrat Jerry E. Davis and Republican Becky Whaley face off in November for the seat vacated by Fred Gibson because of health reasons.

District 3 encompasses the northeast quadrant of Murray County and includes Tennga, Crandall, Cisco and the city limits of Eton, as well as a vast part of the sparsely-populated Chattahoochee National Forest. The northern edge covers over half of the county’s border with Tennessee, and its eastern boundary abuts the Fannin County line. On the south it is bordered primarily by the Old CCC Camp Road.

It is on the western edge of the district where the boundary gets tricky. The line “doglegs,” said Connie Winkler of the elections and registrars office, utilizing several county roads including state route Highway 225 and later federal Highway 411 near Eton, all the while heading in a southerly direction.

The board heard from the governor on July 21 that Gibson’s resignation was accepted and the board has 15 days to fill the position by appointment. Chairman Julius Weyman said Thursday afternoon the board has one applicant, but declined to name the person.

“They’ll have full voting rights as a board member,” said Weyman of the person the board selects. He pointed out in a July board meeting that at times another vote is needed to break ties when the board deadlocks 3-3.

“There are no qualifications, just that you live in the district,” he said of the appointment. “We’d just ask that potential applicants let us know by Monday at noon, and then come to the board meeting Monday night to be interviewed. We’d like to get it done by then because we’re up against the 15-day deadline and don’t want to meet again just for that.”

The board convenes a called meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the central office at 715 Chestnut St.

Weyman can be reached at (706) 517-0141 and the number has voice mail. Vice chair Crystal Felty can be reached at (706) 517-4457 and also has voice mail.

The Board of Elections and Registrars office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for anyone who would like a closer look at the map showing the district.

Gibson, a Crandall resident, has not returned several phone messages.