Kirk Kelly announced today that he would like the Hamilton County Board of Education to conduct a search before naming him superintendent of the school district.
During a news conference at the district's central office, Kelly said he is honored that board members would want him to be the permanent leader, but that he wants to be transparent and be named to the position after the board conducts a search.
"I am definitely interested and will apply and will go through the process with the search firm," Kelly said.
Three members of the school board voiced support for hiring Kelly during a meeting two weeks ago, but the board was unable to take a vote because it had not been properly notified for 15 days, as board policy requires.
Last week school board member David Testerman requested the board vote on hiring Kelly during the Nov. 17 agenda session, and board member Joe Galloway agreed to it, which automatically adds it to the agenda, according to board policy.
Though school board members Kathy Lennon, Galloway and Testerman have voiced support of Interim Superintendent Kelly's leadership, others are adamant a search is needed before deciding on the district's next leader.
School board members Rhonda Thurman, Greg Martin, Joe Wingate and Tiffanie Robinson told the Times Free Press last week that they want to hold a search before deciding on a leader.
"I just think everything other than [conducting a search] is hijacking the process," Wingate said last week.
The school board previously voted to hire the search firm Coleman Lew and Associates Inc. to help conduct the search. This firm was the most expensive of the three firms interviewed -- estimated to cost about $60,000 -- but seemed to have the most aggressive national recruitment strategy.
Board members who voted for Coleman Lew and Associates Inc., said the firm seems the most qualified to find a diverse group of candidates for the job.
Following Kelly's announcement, it is expected that the board will launch a national search for the district's next superintendent, as originally planned.
Prior to the news conference, school board members said they were unaware what Kelly planned to say. No board members were at the news conference.
See tomorrow's Times Free Press for the full story.