Burgess Steps Down As School Board Trustee

By David Howell

Editor

WATER VALLEY – Two school board trustees for the Water Valley School District were appointed at Monday night’s school board meeting following the resignation of Lamar Burgess in Position Two and a vacancy in Position One.

“It has been an honor and pleasure to serve the Water Valley School District since August of 2000 as a trustee,” Burgess said in Monday’s meeting as he tendered his resignation. Burgess also said that he remains committed to the school district and community and will be available for assistance, if needed. 

“With that being said I am resigning at this particular time. There are some other endeavors that involve the school district and the community that I plan on working on,” Burgess added.

In his resignation letter, Burgess also recommended the appointment of Rodney Phillips to fill the remaining year in his five-year term, a request that was approved with a 4-0 vote. Trustee Chris Terry was absent from the meeting.

In the Position One slot on the school board, incumbent Bryan Gilley’s term expires at the end of the year and with no candidate qualifying to run for the position earlier in the year, trustees also had to make an appointment to fill the vacated seat.

Board chairman Taylor Trusty recommended appointing Gilley to serve until a special election can be held in November to fill the position.

“Mr. Gilley and I have talked and he did not run because he could not commit to a full term,” Trusty explained about the five-year commitment.   “I asked him if he could commit to one year, until we can have an election, and he said he would.”

Gilley explained that he will serve until November and when a new trustee is elected, he will step aside. 

Gilley’s appointment passed 3-0, with Trusty, Burgess and Pierce Epes voting for Gilley to serve another year. Gilley abstained from voting.

Both slots will be on the November ballot and candidates can qualify from Aug. 8 to Sept. 7.