The Tift County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday in a special called meeting to appoint former board member and pharmacist Tommy Lindsey to fill the unexpired term of Erick Willis, who recently resigned from his District 3 seat on the board. The seat will be filled permanently after voters cast ballots in this fall’s General Election.

Willis tendered his resignation on the board in early April 8, citing “professional reasons.” Liz Carson Keith had announced earlier that she wouldn’t run for re-election to the at-large post and announced April 9 that she would seek the District 3 post. Also, Kim Rutland qualified and announced that she will seek the District 3 post.

Tuesday, Chairman Rita Griffin said that she had gotten no calls from anyone in the community interested in accepting the temporary appointment to District 3 and that she had “spent many days” looking for someone to accept the appointment.

“I got a lot of rejections,” Griffin said.

Lindsey, Danan Hall and Woody Leonard were the names the board had to chose from. Lindsey, who served on the board from 1990-1996, owns Omega Pharmacy and has two children, one who attends Tift County High School. Hall, a claims adjuster for State Farm Insurance, has two young children who attend public schools. Woody Leonard, who retired after a career as Tift County High School’s band director, has children who attended Tift County public schools. Now, according to board member John Smith, Leonard works primarily at Abraham Baldwin College and for Bill Belcher in the fundraising business, including items for school fundraisers. Smith said he had asked Leonard if he believed there would be a conflict of interest if he accepted the appointment.

“I think he’s scaled down the fundraising activity significantly,” Smith said.

Smith said he believed Leonard would make necessary adjustments to that business if he was appointed and that Leonard had “expressed his allegiance to the school system and, like many of us, has spent a lifetime in the system.”

Griffin said that Hall worked out of his home, was flexible and had children involved in the school system.

Griffin said she had approached a former educator who told her that she believed the board needed to consider someone who was not involved in education, perhaps someone in business, to get a different view on issues.

“I think we ought to have a cross section of people, but you can’t force people who aren’t interested,” Smith said. “Being in the business sector is different.”

Smith, after asking if board, members could vote by secret ballot and being told by attorney John Reinhardt that they could not, made the motion that the board appoint Lindsey. Smith said that Lindsey’s experience serving on the board would make him the best candidate for the appointment.

“Having served on this board and the expertise he (Lindsey) brings, he wouldn’t have to be broken in,” Smith said. “I understand he served well.”

“Having someone come in with experience is a big positive,” Potts commented.

Members Smith, Todd Gann, Lester Potts, Betty Parson and Liz Carson Keith voted in favor of Lindsey’s appointment. Griffin did not cast a ballot.

Reinhardt said that the board would sign a letter of appointment and that would be forwarded to the probate judge, then to the Secretary of State’s office for approval and then to a governor’s commission for oaths. He said he saw no problem with paperwork being completed and Lindsey being sworn in during the board’s regular session Tuesday night.