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The Dade County Board of Education is taking applications for the seat left vacant by board member David Swader’s June 8 resignation. The appointment will last for the remainder of Mr. Swader’s four-year term. The post pays $50 per regular meeting.
The deadline for application is July 13.
So far, six people have thrown their names in the hat for the appointment, board chairwoman Carolyn Bradford said.
Careyee Bell, Wayne Fuller, Wayne McCormick, Donna Street, Stacy Prater Taylor and Nathan Wooten have filled out applications at the school system’s central office in Trenton, Ga., Ms. Bradford said.
Election records show Mr. Swader won the seat in November 2008, began serving in January 2009, and will leave the appointee with about two years remaining in the term.
Mr. Swader said he resigned for personal reasons, and did not elaborate.
Although state law calls for the vacant seat to be placed on the next general election ballot, school board attorney Cory Kirby said vacancies because of death, resignation or any other reasons fall under a local board of education act in Georgia law. The act requires Dade’s remaining board members to appoint a replacement for the seat, he said.
Some of the applicants have been past players in Dade education.
Mr. Wooten was school board chairman when Mr. Swader defeated him in the 2008 Republican primary; Ms. Bell was a school board candidate in 2006; Ms. Taylor applied for a board vacancy in 1997; and Ms. Street is the lone Democrat vying against two Republicans for two Board of Education seats
LOCAL ACTAccording to the Dade County Board of Education’s local act, which trumps state law, in the event of a vacancy, “the remaining members of the board shall select a successor to serve for the unexpired term.”APPLICATIONS AVAILABLETo get an application for the open seat on the Dade County Board of Education, go to the central office at 52 Traditions Lane, Trenton, Ga. For more information, call the central office at 706-657-4361.
on the November ballot, officials said.
Mr. McCormick and Mr. Fuller are newcomers to Dade education politics.
“I am a little surprised that we have that many,” Superintendent Patty Priest said, “and I think we’ll have some more.”
Mrs. Priest said so much interest in Dade education is “wonderful,” but she predicted the new member would find it a “tough job” with the current economy and the financial situation with Georgia education.
Interested applicants have until 4:30 p.m. on July 13 to drop by the Dade County Schools Central Office to fill out the paperwork.
Ms. Bradford said the board will review the applications after the deadline and could announce a decision at the board’s regular meeting on July 19.
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Article: Dade school board to pick replacement