DECATUR -- Kim Wilkins just wanted to express her concerns to the Decatur School Board during the June 16 meeting. She wanted answers to her questions on the hiring of the spouse of a board member to a supervisory position.
Wilkins was finally allowed to address the board during the Aug. 18 meeting, one month after the matter was resolved.
School board president Ike Owens opened the floor to Kim Wilkins to voice her concerns in the handling of the transportation and maintenance director's hiring process.
Wilkins believed that the school board was premature in offering Doug Holly the position until Darleen Holly had resigned from the board and the required paperwork was approved by the state board of education.
"The main thing I would like to talk about is that on June 13, that was the first time that I heard that Doug Holly had received the position, I did not hear it from the school," Wilkins said. "I don't think it should have even been talked about until it was finalized by the school board. The board could have still denied Holly the position."
Wilkins pointed out to the board that there were two other applicants that were well qualified for the position, a fact that the state board of education confirmed. She asked the state board of education what they would do given these circumstances.
"They first would look at rehiring from one of the other qualified applicants or they would re-post and re-interview for the job," Wilkins said.
Wilkins expressed her concerns that Sherman Robinson, who held the position for 37 years, was not asked for his opinions during the hiring process. Robinson knew all three applicants and was never asked for his input, she said.
"I think you need to apologize to all these people for Darleen not resigning," Wilkins said. "I sent emails to you clearly stating the rules and regulations this board was supposed to follow, but you didn't do it."
"That is all I have to say," Wilkins concluded. "I would like to know your plans on this matter."
Darleen Holly tendered her resignation from the board on July 24 to allow her husband, Doug, to take the transportation and maintenance director position for the Decatur school system vacated by Robinson.
The Decatur School Board accepted Darleen Holly's resignation and later voted, during the staffing change portion of the agenda, to accept Doug Holly as the transportation and maintenance director.
General News on 08/27/2014