School Board Vice Chair Only Says Discussions Underway On Chair

Conversations among Oconee County Board of Education members are ongoing regarding the procedures for replacing Board Chair Tom Odom when he steps down on Sept. 1, according to Board Vice Chair Kim Argo.

Argo on Tuesday, said, however, that “the process and time line are not available at this time” for the decision.

Argo would not say if the Board will be deciding to replace Odom with one of the existing Board members and then replace that Board member or replacing Odom with someone not currently on the Board.

She also would not say if the procedures will be discussed at the next public Board meeting on Sept. 13.

She did say earlier that the Board will appoint a new chair during this calendar year.

Special legislation passed in 1964 allows the Oconee County Board of Education to appoint its members rather than hold an election, even though three years and four months remain on Odom’s term.

The last time the Board replaced a chair was in 2000, when three years remained on the late Tommy Warren’s term, and the Board chose Christine Franklin, then vice chair of the Board, to move to the chair position.

Turnover on the Board of Education has been common even in recent years, and the Board most often has opened up the process for applications from the public, but that has not always been the case and the special legislation gives the Board a free hand in setting the procedures it follows.

For more on the story, please go to Oconee County Observations.