Former Starkville School District Board of Trustees President Eddie Myles rejoined the consolidated school board and will fulfill outgoing President Eric Heiselt’s term.
Myles, who was not chosen for a third consecutive school board term by aldermen last year, was reappointed Tuesday in a 3-1 vote.
Heiselt tendered his resignation letter last week after announcing he and his family will move to Nevada. His resignation became effective at the conclusion of Tuesday’s last SSD meeting.
Today marks the first day of a unified school system as state-mandated consolidation merged Oktibbeha County School District with SSD.
The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and its leaders, Myles said, will work diligently to provide quality education for all schoolchildren.
“It’s been a dream to see consolidation for the county. To now have it at my front door again, I didn’t want to let that opportunity pass,” he said. “The most important thing that consolidation has done is to reach out. The hand has been extended. Whether you accept the hand that’s extended is up to the individual.”
Myles’ appointment was contested by Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn, who led the charge against his 2014 reappointment.
Aldermen replaced Myles with Juliette Weaver-Reese after he failed to apply for the position in a timely manner. Mayor Parker Wiseman put Myles on the agenda to interview for his third term after he expressed a desire to continue with the school board, but the board pulled his application and allotted time.
Wynn scolded aldermen Tuesday for considering a nominee since the school board is comprised entirely of city residents. That composition ignores the voice of county residents, she said.
Per legislation, Myles’ seat transitioned today from a city-appointed position to an elected one decided by residents of the former county school district.
His term will end in 2017.
“While I’m respectful of the consolidation, it has created irreparable damage for our county, city and community,” Wynn said. “Tonight, we as board members are acting irresponsibly as it relates to making an appointment. It would be prudent of us to exercise caution by not appointing anyone. As aldermen, we can create an opportunity to mend the fence and demonstrate that we want the parents of (the former OCSD) to be part of this process.
“My vote will be a reflection that I believe that the parents and their children should have a representative on (the SOCSD board) that is a county resident,” she added. “The moment an appointment is rendered this evening, it will say to our county residents, ‘You don’t have a voice on the board, and you don’t have a voice in your child’s education.'”
Wynn’s objection found no traction amongst her peers. Other aldermen, including Ward 1’s Ben Carver and Ward 3’s David Little, said they thought Myles was the right person for the job and had the experience “to hit the ground running.”
“There’s no hidden agenda here. I’m about the kids,” Myles said after his appointment. “If I make adults mad or angry, that’s on the adults. My job is to make sure I do the right thing for the kids. I can’t play politics with kids’ lives.”
SOCSD Superintendent Lewis Holloway said he was pleased with Myles appointment and looks forward to working with him.
“Eddie was the first person to step up (after the state mandated the school merger) and say, ‘It’s my dream to consolidate,'” Holloway said. “That’s a strong statement and is reflective of how much he cares about this county and all of its children.”
Heiselt had served as a school board member since 2011. This weekend, Wiseman applauded Heiselt’s service to the community and backed Myles’ return to the school board.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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