CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Interviews are today for people applying for the 6th District seat on the Bradley County Board of Education.
District 6 commissioners Dan Rawls and Robert Rominger said they would interview candidates between noon and 2 p.m. at the Bradley County Courthouse. The interviews will be open to the public.
The County Commission plans to vote March 16 on an appointment to the school board seat vacated by Christy Critchfield, who abruptly resigned Feb. 24 following a 4-3 decision by the school board to buy out the remaining 16 months of then-Superintendent Johnny McDaniel's contract.
Christy Critchfield As of Thursday, five candidates had sent resumes, said Lorri Moultrie, assistant to the Bradley County Commission.
Rominger and Rawls said they had heard from nearly 10 more people interested in the position. Though neither would name names, Rawls said some of the resumes "are pretty impressive."
Commission Chairman Louie Alford recommended that the 6th District commissioners each pick their top three choices and "work your way down your list."
Rominger said he wanted to discuss the candidates during the commission's Monday meeting.
County Attorney Crystal Freiberg said that although commission tradition is to allow district representatives to nominate school board appointments, any commissioner may make a nomination.
"We need a person that cares about the school system, not [one] interested in the power struggle," said Commissioner Terry Caywood, alluding to divisions within the school board. "We've got too much of that going on and we hear about it in the public."
Critchfield's resignation was preceded by a public outpouring of support for McDaniel. An online petition received more than 1,400 signatures and teachers, parents and students packed board meetings to call for the superintendent's retention.
McDaniel said in a statement that "philosophical differences" over school administration came between him and a majority of the board members. The Times Free Press also revealed more than $33,000 in travel reimbursments to schools energy manager Johnny Mull over three years.
Whoever is appointed to the 6th District school board seat will serve until the August 2016 general election,said Freiberg.
The school board is expected to select an interim superintendent on Thursday, and to consider the process for selecting a new school superintendent in the near future.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.