In this file photo, Everett Fairchild listens during a meeting of the Hamilton County School Board in the superintendent's conference room.Hamilton County School Board Chairman Everett Fairchild this evening announced that he is resigning from the chairmanship for health reasons.
The resignation passes all Fairchild's duties to Vice Chairman Jeffrey Wilson. Board members debated whether to hold an emergency election tonight, but voted 7-2 to postpone an election until its June meeting.
Board members Linda Mosley and George Ricks voted against postponement and supported a motion to elect Wilson chairman tonight. That motion did not move forward.
Other board members, citing their surprise at the announcement, said they weren't ready to vote for a chairman tonight.
Fairchild, who has missed meetings in recent months, said he needed to make life changes due to heart troubles.
"I started this morning in the cardiac rehab unit, and that's an indication that I need to make a change in my lifestyle," Fairchild said.
For more details, read tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press.