OFFICE OF VOTER CERTIFICATION / REGISTRATION
There was a called meeting Monday March 17th by the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education. The purpose of the meeting was to respond to the Board of Elections inquiry concerning qualifications to run for Board of Education.
School Board Member Michael Kendall is seeking re-election. His qualifications have been challenged, According to a letter from School Superintendent Curtis Jones to the Board of Elections, the incumbent for District One, Mr. Michael Kendall, has not complied with the board training requirement.
The Board of Elections held a meeting March 7th and decided since the board had received a notice from the School Superintendent the board is legally obligated to have a hearing. That hearing is set for March 18th at 9:00 am. The Board of elections sent written notification to the School Board that Mr. Kendall’s qualification has been challenged and asked for their opinion. Is there enough evidence to have the evidentiary hearing?
The task for the School Board at the March 17th meeting was to determine if in fact there was a need for the evidentiary hearing. Case in point. Each member of the School Board must complete 9 hours of training each year. Has Mr Kendall met that requirement? Superintendent Jones presented a video of the 2010 legislation enacting a law that School Board Members must have a minimum of 9 hours of training per year. The State Board of Education sets the hours. Mr Kendall contends that “this does not apply to him. It was not in effect when he qualified to run.”
Superintendent Jones played a video tape of a School Board Meeting where Mr. Kendall was asked about the number of hours of training he had. On the video Mr. Kendall said , whatever Gail has that is what I did.”
Kendall questioned Jones as to why he didn’t come to him before he sent the letter to the Board of Elections.
Superintendent Jones said, “He gave Mike opportunity to correct his hours, Board member Zack Holmes said, “He was unclear as to why we are having this meeting.”
Chairman James Westbury said, “Our position is to determine how many hours he has.”
Mike questioned Board Attorney Tim Shepard about several points in the statute. Shepherd replied, The Statute is not the best written Statute in the world. Courts will look carefully at the ‘intent’ of the statute not if you just “agree” to complete the course. If a member does not get his hours in he should be disqualified to run. The School Board cannot make this determination. Each Board Member is responsible for the Report you signed. That makes you responsible. The document shows three hours with your signature.
Mr Kendall said, “My opinion from the outset I didn’t think, and I still don’t think, this law applies to me.
By a three / two vote the board voted Mr Kendall had not complied with the Board training requirement.
The three votes were James Westbury, James “Pete” Graham, and Barbara Joe Cook.
The two votes to in agreement were Mike Kendall and Zack Holmes.
There will be an Evidentiary Hearing at the Spalding County Board of Elections and Registration Tuesday March 18th at 9:00 am WKEU will have a representative at this meeting.
