Chickamauga City Schools Superintendent Melody Day pleaded no contest in Hamilton County General Sessions Court this morning to an allegation that she tried to bilk a Belk department store with a price-tag swap scheme.
Day was ordered to pay the store $525.50 in restitution as part of her misdemeanor conviction for theft of property. She also was ordered to stay out of any Belk store and to go to counseling. If she follows all of those orders, Judge Gary Starnes told her, Day's record could be expunged in a year.
Day declined comment after the hearing, telling the Times Free Press only that she was acting on the advice of her attorney, Lee Davis.
According to an affidavit, a Belk employee at the Hamilton Place mall store told Chattanooga police she saw Day walk into a fitting room with several clothing items. Some were on sale. Some were not.
The employee said Day swapped price tags, paying a discounted rate for items that had been full price. In all, the employee said, Day engineered a $300 discount.
Day has worked for Chickamauga City Schools since 1978, beginning as a teacher. The school board hired her as superintendent in 2000.
Members of the Chickamauga City Schools Board of Education did not immediately return calls seeking comment today. In January, board member Ashley "Corky" Jewell told the Times Free Press that Day would continue to run the district while her charge was pending.
"There has been no adjudication of the matter at this point," Jewell said in a statement at the time. "Unless, and until, there is an adjudication that is adverse to Mrs. Day's legal status, she enjoys the same presumption of innocence that you or I or any other individual enjoys."
The board meets Monday at 5:15 p.m. at 402 Cove Road.