New board members presented

The Southland Board of Education met on Thursday to reorganize and conduct their regular monthly meeting.

During the meeting, Superintendent Raymond Lasley presented the results from the April 8 election.

In the race for Southland school board, voters elected to keep their incumbents, choosing to keep Kathy Zolman, who raked in a total of 130 votes, Jeff Wilson, who earned 111 votes, and Derrick Higgins, who received 110 votes, over Steve Eastburn, who walked away with only 60 votes, not quite enough to claim a seat.

The election results as presented were accepted by the board and an oath of office was administered to the three incumbents.

Following the announcement regarding the election results, Lasley informed the board that it would need to elect a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer for the board.

Derrick Higgins was re-elected as president, Doug Kemmett was chosen as vice president, Brad Williams was again selected for the secretary position, and Lonnie Gibson Jr. was nominated and elected as treasurer.

Gibson, Jr., also recently won the vote of Arbyrd residents to be re-elected as Mayor of the city, serving as overseer of the city and its financial matters in business.

In other matters, the board of education discussed donating the school's unused band instruments to a group that provides them to American servicemen who are stationed overseas.

The action was tabled until more information can be obtained about the project.

The superintendent reported that slow progress is being made on the new elementary classrooms.

"AmerenUe has now installed the new transformer," Lasley said. "The electrical contractor is planning on installing the electrical power to the building in the near future. The HVAC contractor has been slowed by the wet weather and poor soil conditions in the installation of the units on the building. The building erector crew has finished some minor finish work on the building and Atmos energy has now installed gas service to the building."

In executive session, Jennifer Hurt was hired as English teacher.

Additionally, the non-certified staff members within the district were also re-employed for next year.