Oconee School Board Bypasses Public To Replace Member

The Oconee County Board of Education on Thursday selected Vice Chair Kim Argo to move into the open position of Board chair and, without considering seeking applications from the public, appointed former Board Member Wayne Bagley to replace Argo.

The Board also selected Board Member Amy Parrish as vice chair to replace Argo.

Argo, whose term would have expired in 2022, will now fill out Tom Odom’s terms as chair, which ends in 2024. Odom, re-elected only last November, stepped down on Aug. 9, citing health reasons, with his tenure ending on Wednesday.

The Board followed precedent in appointing Argo to serve out Odom’s term, but went against usual procedures in appointing Bagley without advertising the opening and taking applications.

Superintendent Jason Branch told the Board it had sought outside applications as recently as 2016 when it appointed current Board Member Amy Parrish to fill an open slot.

Bagley was selected by the Board in 2010 to serve an open term after 17 people applied for the announced open position.

Bagley stepped down at the end of his term in 2020. He is vice president for Development for Lassiter Properties of Atlanta.

Bagley was at the meeting and accepted the nomination.

For more on the story, with a video of the Board of Education called meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.