Board president adjourns meeting while others in executive session
Members asked for closed meeting to discuss personnel list
Six members of the Forrest City School Board were meeting in executive session, discussing personnel, when board president Sandra Taylor adjourned Thursday night’s meeting.
The special board meeting was called to hire an architect, a new football coach and to discuss finances and personnel.
When the board met on April 18, superintendent Dr. Tiffany Hardrick gave members a list of employees for whom she planned to issue contracts for the 2024-25 school year.
The state’s new LEARNS Act requires boards to approve the list before contracts can be issued, according to Hardrick.
After that list was approved, board members reportedly heard from some employees whose names were not included on the list. Some current employees found out on the day after the board approved the list presented by Hardrick that the contracts for their current positions were not recommended for renewal.
According to reports, those employees were offered different positions within the district and told they would be issued contracts if or when they chose which position they wanted to take.
During the open session, board member Annie Norman began asking questions about the list, saying about 22 current staff members were not on it.
“I’m inquiring why they weren’t. Is there a reason why some are not on the list?” she asked.
“The answer is yes. It is possible some people are not on the list for a number of reasons from non-renewal, retirements, transferring positions, resignations, a number of things,” said Hardrick.
Norman said she had heard a lot of “outcry” from the community and received a “lot of calls” on one of the positions not being renewed.
“Just because someone is not on the renewal list does not mean they won’t be employed by the district. They could be getting a different position,” said Hardrick. “There are people who are not renewed on the renewal list because they will not be renewed in their current position.”
“How many positions are vacant?” asked Norman.
“Could be about 15 total in the district,” Hardrick responded.
Hardrick noted that Norman, as the board’s secretary/disbursing officer, would personally sign each of the contracts the district issues.
Board member Tarzan Lee said he also wanted to discuss the employee list and asked for an executive session.
“I have some questions I need to ask but my questions are going to involve names, so I’m asking that we have an executive session,” said Lee.
Hardrick joined the seven board members in the executive session, but after about 15 minutes, she and board president Sandra Taylor returned to the library, where board meetings are held.
Taylor called the meeting back into regular session, absent the other board members, announced that no action was taken during the executive session and adjourned the meeting as the other members remained in executive session.
Most of those in attendance left after Taylor announced the meeting was over.
About 15 minutes after Taylor, Hardrick and several members of the public had left, the remaining board members emerged from the executive