CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After the vote on the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board’s new chair resulted in a deadlock, the election has been postponed until the next formal board meeting.

With the arrival of two new school board members – Chris Lanier and Kacie Bryant – the board was tasked with voting for new officers. On Tuesday night, the board voted for two candidates: current chairman Kent Griffy and Jimmie Garland. With one member missing, there was an unbreakable tie.

Why the chair is important

Griffy told Clarksville Now that the chair position is important because it sets the direction of the board.

“It has no more authority than the board itself,” Griffy said. “But the chairman has the responsibility to take up the ideas of the other board members together and put them on the agenda and determine what measures will be taken to put them into action.”

In accordance with CMCSS policy, the Chair ensures the integrity of the Board’s processes and serves as the Board’s official spokesperson. In addition to chairing board meetings, the chair works with the school principal to develop the agenda for meetings and may take action in the form of an executive order governing the school system.

The Chairman also monitors the conduct of the Board to ensure that it is consistent with its sole policies and rules and may make any interpretive decisions falling within the subjects covered by the Board’s policies, unless the Board expressly delegates such authority to others .

In the absence of the Chairperson, the duties and powers of the Chairperson shall rest with the Deputy Chairperson.

Blocked vote

On Tuesday night, Aron Maberry nominated Griffy and Carol Berry Garland.

After a confusing first round of voting, the board concluded its vote and the results were split down the middle, with Kacie Bryant absent.

• Berry, Garland and Herbert Nelson voted for Garland.
• Maberry, Griffy and Lanier voted for Griffy.

As the board prepared for a second vote, they reopened the floor for discussion. “Mr. Griffy has been our chairman for the last two years,” Berry said. “And I think change is good. So that’s my reason for considering co-chairman, Mr. Garland.”

The vote was called for a second and then a third round, and the result was the same. After the board re-nominated the candidates, the names remained the same and the vote remained unchanged.

DOWNLOAD THE APP: Sign up for our free Clarksville Now app

Fill the chair

Griffy has been chairman for two years, but it’s not his first time. He previously served a term on the board, during which he held the chairmanship for a total of seven years.

When asked why he wanted to continue, Griffy said the board was changing and moving in a more positive direction. “The board is taking a different step by engaging the community and giving them a voice in the operation of the school system,” he said. “I think the recently hired director, Dr. (Jean) Luna-Vedder was an integral part of that and she does a great job making it happen.”

This direction, Griffy said, began several years ago as the board wanted to bring the public back into interaction with the board, even before the state made it law. Since the process began, Griffy says it has grown and parent involvement on committees and in planning has become greater. “I don’t want to go back to trying to find a way to not listen to the people we represent,” Griffy said.

Garland has served as Griffy’s vice chairman for the past two years. During his 22 years on the board, he has already served as deputy chairman.

When contacted by Clarksville Now, Garland declined to comment.

DON’T MISS A STORY: Sign up for Clarksville Now’s free daily email newsletter