At Monday night’s Coffee County School Board meeting, there was a motion to extend Director of Schools Dr. Charles Lawson’s contract. The vote failed due to a 4-4 outcome.
Freda K. Jones, Gary Cordell, Thomas Ballard, and Jennifer Peacock Hodge voted against the motion. Larry Crabtree, Brent Parsley, Gary Nester, and Kathy Rose voted for the extension. Board member Robert Gilley was unable to attend because he was out of town.
Jones began the meeting by asking if the agenda item concerning the contract extension was given proper public notice. She stated that a 15-day notice had to be published. Nester said he announced it at their previous meeting, so that served as a public notice. Board Secretary Melissa Westmoreland said two media sources and the local education association were notified June 25.
On Target News was not given notification, nor were our three radio stations (Rooster 101.5, 93.9 The Duck, Whiskey 105.1, 95.9, all located in Coffee County).
The board elected to vote on renewing the director’s contract for four years, which would make the extension two total years and failed because of the vote. Jones and Hodge said they could take a look at it again next year.
Lawson’s current contract lists a salary of approximately $137,000. If the board had approved, his new salary would have been $144,095.
