In his first act as chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Education, Everett Fairchild called for a work session to discuss the performance and evaluations of Superintendent Jim Scales.
Critical of Scales in the past, Fairchild on Thursday declined to say whether he planned to talk about buying out Scales' contract, which expires in 2012.
CHAIRMAN VOTE - EVERETT FAIRCHILD VS. LINDA MOSLEY* Mike Evatt: Fairchild* Everett Fairchild: Fairchild* Joe Galloway: Fairchild* Linda Mosley: Mosley* George Ricks: Mosley* David Testerman: Fairchild* Rhonda Thurman: Fairchild* Jeffrey Wilson: Mosley* Board member Chip Baker was absent
"I'm trying to satisfy the questions we're getting from the public [about Scales' contract]," he said, refusing to specify the types of questions he's received.
Although no date has been set, Fairchild said the meeting would take place in the next two weeks.
The 5-3 vote that put Fairchild in the chairman's seat at the beginning of Thursday's board meeting was controversial. Former vice chairwoman Linda Mosley, who lost to Fairchild Thursday, recently stated publicly that she believed Hamilton County commissioners were trying to convince school board members to vote for Fair-child because they believed he would be sympathetic to the cause of ousting Scales.
Fairchild himself had pledged his support to Mosley as chairwoman, but several weeks ago withdrew it, refusing to tell her why, she said.
Mosley, who on Thursday was elected as the board's representative to the Tennessee Legislative Network, said she thought electing Fairchild chairman was a mistake.
"I know that there is a single purpose to this: to get rid of Dr. Scales," she said. "This is a critical time, and we don't need an upset on our board and on our administration."
Although he said he would support Fairchild, board member George Ricks was angry Thursday over the vote. When casting his vote, he leaned close to his microphone and said loudly and sternly, "Linda Mosley."
"There have been some underhanded things done ... and I don't appreciate it," he said.
After the meeting, Scales seemed unworried about his future.
"I don't work for an individual board member. I work for the board," he said.
Board member Jeffrey Wilson also was unanimously elected as vice chairman.
Contact Kelli Gauthier at kgauthier@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/gauthierkelli.