The Cherokee County Board of Education will look significantly different before the end of the year.
Voters chose four new representatives during the primary election on May 17, ousting two incumbents along the way and ensuring that a majority of the seven-member group will consist of new members after the swearing-in ceremony is held in December. Cherokee County likely will have a new superintendent in place by then as well, after Jeana Conley announced her plans to retire effective Dec. 31.
Jason Murphy and Shannon Raper earned the two available seats from District 3, while Steve Coleman prevailed in the at-large race and Jeannie Gaddis narrowly claimed the District 2 post. While the search for a new superintendent is already underway, Murphy said he hopes incoming board members are given a role in that process.
“I don’t know if the current board will have an interim (superintendent) in place or a permanent replacement in position by the time we would take office (in December) or not,” Murphy said.
“I’ve already been in contact with a couple of the current board members. I’m kind of hoping they’ll at least take our input into consideration if they are looking to have a permanent replacement by the time we take office, but that’ll just remain to be seen, I guess.”
Murphy and Raper finishing atop a five-person field of candidates that included incumbent Joey Shore, who finished third in the voting. The other available position was vacated by Joe Wood, who unsuccessfully ran for sheriff. Murphy led the way with 3,183 votes (30.92 percent) and Raper captured 2,504 (24.32 percent) to outpace Shore (1,921, 18.66 percent), Leslie Gibson (1,804, 17.52 percent) and Jose “Joe” Barreiro (883, 8.58 percent).
Like Murphy, Raper said she was excited to get a head start on her expected position. None of the candidates will face a Democrat opponent during the general election in November.
“I’m excited for what’s to come and looking forward to working with all our schools and students and staff,” Raper said. “Just looking forward to the next school year, the incoming superintendent and the impact on the community.
“It looks like we’ll get back to a normal school year. I think that will help a lot of things.”
In the at-large race, Coleman claimed victory with 3,163 votes (56.34 percent) to unseat incumbent Keesha Curtis, who had 2,451 votes (43.66 percent). Gaddis (2,438 votes, 44.51 percent), a retired teacher, edged Allen Denny (2,258, 41.22 percent) and Andrew Zenobi (782, 14.28 percent) for the fourth available seat – the District 2 spot formerly occupied by Dr. Jeff Martin, who did not seek re-election.
“I know we don’t get in until December, but I’ve already been certain places collecting data and stuff on individual schools and students, trying to get a fuller vision of everything that goes on here, now that I can,” Coleman said.