June 3, 2009
Neely Chosen to Fill Vacant Board of Education Seat
Oxley, Thomas Called Excellent Role Models
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - After two contentious Cabell County School Board meetings in which a replacement to fill an unexpired term deadlocked, the Board made a unanimous decision on a compromise candidate. Mary Neely, who has previously served on Huntington City Council and other governmental bodies, was selected after candidate Rick Duncan also received a 2-2 vote.
At a previous meeting, Mrs. Neely had indicated she would be a team player. Tonight, after he election, she told the board, “Obviously, I’m very happy with the vote , and I appreciate your support. I’m up for the challenge and will do everything that I can to support the program the school [board] has [to get] the children of Cabell County ready for the 21st Century.”
Early in the meeting, board chairman Ted Barr pointed out how the members had worked together at the graduations over the weekend. This demonstrated that the “wedge” between members suggested by Mrs. Holley at the May 27 meeting had not occurred, or had mended quickly.
Earlier, candidate Carla D. Parker addressed the Board to clarify portions of the last meeting and to ask for “reconsideration.”
Having gone over the transcript of the meeting, Mrs. Parker pointed out that she had not been eliminated. A vote had been taken on her nomination. The result was a 2-2 tie. Mr. Duncan had been nominated, but did not receive a second. ““I did not win over Mr. Duncan. But, there was not a vote for him to win over me,” Parker, an infectious disease nursing supervisor, stated.
During that May meeting, chairman Ted Barr mistakenly told Mrs. Parker that she had been eliminated when the vote on her nomination was a tie, just like Mrs. Neely.
According to Robert’s Rules of Order, “when a motion requiring majority vote is a tie, it is not won as there was not a majority. If a motion has been defeated, it can be brought up at the next meeting,” Parker said. She asked that “all of the candidates [should] be back in consideration from last week. Reconsideration of myself or all of the other candidates would not be inconsistent with the statute , administrative codes or your bylaws.”
Addressing Ted Barr, Parker continued, “I have little exposure to board actions or decisions in person. As I stated in my letter of interest to Dr. Smith, my goal if selected as a board member will be to further and better the education of the children of Cabell County. I’m not here with a bulldozer to tear things apart. As I stated in the beginning, I feel I was taken out of the running for this position unfairly. I am pursuing this because I feel I have something to offer that is devoid of political interest … and is a wholehearted attempt to improve the education of the students of Cabell County.”
Following Mrs. Parker, Sandra Strong of Staunton Road told the board, “I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to see how you individually and as a group function under pressure. And to see, how you handle healthy and often very necessary disagreement among your ranks. It has been an illuminating and revealing experience.
OXLEY, THOMAS LABELED EXCELLENT ROLE MODELS
Strong continued, “Mrs. Oxley and Mr. Thomas, as a retired educator and a concerned and interested citizen, I want you both to know that I appreciate your ability to remain professional and professionally steadfast under very trying circumstances. You have both been excellent role models, especially for the young people you represent and for anyone who wishes to serve in public office.”
After the meeting , Parker, who had complained about an unfair process at the last meeting, told HNN that she thought the procedure tonight had been fair.
“I think it was generous of Mr. Barr to nominate Mr. Duncan. He knew what the outcome would be and that was the stumbling block,” Parker said. “Mr. Duncan was off the table and that opened it up to whomever would be next. I’m satisfied. Good luck to Mrs. Neely.”
SWEARING IN JUNE 16
Mrs. Neely will be sworn in June 16 to fulfill the 13-month term left by Dr. Greg Borowski’s resignation due to his wife’s position working at the central office.
The former city clerk and councilwoman has a grandchild currently attending Cabell County schools.
Having pledged to be a “team player,” Neely has also gone on record for the 2010 election. She will likely run for a full term on the Board. Seats up for election currently are filled by Bessie Holley and Bernie Thomas, who had been Neely’s original supporter.
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Neely Chosen to Fill Vacant Board of Education Seat
Oxley, Thomas Called Excellent Role Models
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - After two contentious Cabell County School Board meetings in which a replacement to fill an unexpired term deadlocked, the Board made a unanimous decision on a compromise candidate. Mary Neely, who has previously served on Huntington City Council and other governmental bodies, was selected after candidate Rick Duncan also received a 2-2 vote.
At a previous meeting, Mrs. Neely had indicated she would be a team player. Tonight, after he election, she told the board, “Obviously, I’m very happy with the vote , and I appreciate your support. I’m up for the challenge and will do everything that I can to support the program the school [board] has [to get] the children of Cabell County ready for the 21st Century.”
Early in the meeting, board chairman Ted Barr pointed out how the members had worked together at the graduations over the weekend. This demonstrated that the “wedge” between members suggested by Mrs. Holley at the May 27 meeting had not occurred, or had mended quickly.
Earlier, candidate Carla D. Parker addressed the Board to clarify portions of the last meeting and to ask for “reconsideration.”
Having gone over the transcript of the meeting, Mrs. Parker pointed out that she had not been eliminated. A vote had been taken on her nomination. The result was a 2-2 tie. Mr. Duncan had been nominated, but did not receive a second. ““I did not win over Mr. Duncan. But, there was not a vote for him to win over me,” Parker, an infectious disease nursing supervisor, stated.
During that May meeting, chairman Ted Barr mistakenly told Mrs. Parker that she had been eliminated when the vote on her nomination was a tie, just like Mrs. Neely.
According to Robert’s Rules of Order, “when a motion requiring majority vote is a tie, it is not won as there was not a majority. If a motion has been defeated, it can be brought up at the next meeting,” Parker said. She asked that “all of the candidates [should] be back in consideration from last week. Reconsideration of myself or all of the other candidates would not be inconsistent with the statute , administrative codes or your bylaws.”
Addressing Ted Barr, Parker continued, “I have little exposure to board actions or decisions in person. As I stated in my letter of interest to Dr. Smith, my goal if selected as a board member will be to further and better the education of the children of Cabell County. I’m not here with a bulldozer to tear things apart. As I stated in the beginning, I feel I was taken out of the running for this position unfairly. I am pursuing this because I feel I have something to offer that is devoid of political interest … and is a wholehearted attempt to improve the education of the students of Cabell County.”
Following Mrs. Parker, Sandra Strong of Staunton Road told the board, “I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to see how you individually and as a group function under pressure. And to see, how you handle healthy and often very necessary disagreement among your ranks. It has been an illuminating and revealing experience.
OXLEY, THOMAS LABELED EXCELLENT ROLE MODELS
Strong continued, “Mrs. Oxley and Mr. Thomas, as a retired educator and a concerned and interested citizen, I want you both to know that I appreciate your ability to remain professional and professionally steadfast under very trying circumstances. You have both been excellent role models, especially for the young people you represent and for anyone who wishes to serve in public office.”
After the meeting , Parker, who had complained about an unfair process at the last meeting, told HNN that she thought the procedure tonight had been fair.
“I think it was generous of Mr. Barr to nominate Mr. Duncan. He knew what the outcome would be and that was the stumbling block,” Parker said. “Mr. Duncan was off the table and that opened it up to whomever would be next. I’m satisfied. Good luck to Mrs. Neely.”
SWEARING IN JUNE 16
Mrs. Neely will be sworn in June 16 to fulfill the 13-month term left by Dr. Greg Borowski’s resignation due to his wife’s position working at the central office.
The former city clerk and councilwoman has a grandchild currently attending Cabell County schools.
Having pledged to be a “team player,” Neely has also gone on record for the 2010 election. She will likely run for a full term on the Board. Seats up for election currently are filled by Bessie Holley and Bernie Thomas, who had been Neely’s original supporter.
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