This week the Gilmer County Board of Education ended the year with another controversial decision, as it moved to extend Superintendent Bryan Dorsey’s contract for another year. The move sparked controversy due to Dorsey already having two years left on his contract. As such, the decision begs the question, why? Why did the board feel the urgency to extend a contract that had two years remaining? Earlier this week, Dorsey said the board completes his evaluation every December and the decision to extend his contract was based on his recent evaluation.

FYN caught up with out-going Chair Woman Kathy Jones to find out more about the decision.

“We felt like Superintendent Dorsey had worked very hard all year and we do our evaluations in December,”

she said,

“Even last year we did the same thing. We did not feel like it was a controversy at all.”

This week’s decision appears to come at the end of a string of unfavorable decisions by the board through out the year, starting with decisions made late last year. Jones, however, defends the board’s recent decisions.

“I don’t like some of the ones we had to make,”

she said,

“but I think with the economy, we had no choice. I’m not proud of them and they were not very favorable, but people also have to remember that Gilmer County is the only school system in the district with a surplus. When you look at the big picture, we had to do what we could to save the school from borrowing any money.”

Some of these unfavorable decisions include closing Oakland Elementary School in May of 2011, the two denials of the Oakland Academy Charter School (OACS) application this year, and the purchase of the new BOE building on Industrial Blvd.

Come January, a new board member will replace Jones, who lost her board position in July’s election. But, Jones wishes the new board and board members well.

“I have been praying the new board goes in with an open mind. I am praying they make good decisions. I encourage them to have only good will. My whole goal is that the system just keeps confident and keeps making good decisions.”

Decisions the board will face in the New Year will include approval of a state involved charter school program on November 6th. Similarly, in its board meeting on Tuesday, the BOE also discussed applying for the State’s System Charter Program, one of three charter school programs offered by the state. All schools in the state must select a designation by 2015. The new board will also face possible cuts to Federal and State funding, as well as expected and aggressive increases in health insurance costs, which could force the board to decide on budget amendments in 2013. New board members are expected to be sworn-in this month.