HCSD board mulls next move on Superintendent

The Board of Trustees of Hazlehurst City School District met in a special called meeting on Wednesday, October 4, to consider one item: whether or not to accept the resignation of Superintendent Lisa Davis. Board members are Kenneth Thrasher, Paul Rhodes, Randal Day, Alberta Nelson and Kevin Brown. The board is represented by attorney Deborah McDonald.

After having called the meeting to order, President Kenneth Thrasher opened the meeting to a public comment session.  High School Principal Jeff Mumford and Elementary School Principal Kim Langston gave comments.  Thrasher called for a motion to enter into closed session after the public comment portion to determine if an executive session was needed to consider the agenda item.  A few minutes later, the item having been discussed, Thrasher emerged and announced that the board voted unanimously to enter into executive session.

Superintendent Davis was asked to join the board in the meeting.  She had tendered her resignation during a work session last week.  Thrasher and the board returned to open session some time later and announced the actions taken.  The board voted across the board, firstly, to relieve Davis of her duties with pay while the board considers her offer.  The issue will be taken up at a later date, Thrasher added.

Secondly, Thrasher announced that the board moved to appoint an Interim Superintendent.  A motion by Rhodes and a second by Brown to appoint Cloyd Garth, Jr., to the position was approved by all members of the board.  Garth, Jr. recently served as principal of Aberdeen High School.  He was terminated by the Aberdeen School Board on June 2, 2017, according to the Monroe Journal newspaper.  He filed suit against the school district in July, as per a report from USNews.com

The district’s regular monthly board meeting is tonight at 5:30 at the district office, 119 Robert McDaniel Drive.