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[5:16] happy new years's and welcome to this January the 8th

[5:21] 2024 special meeting of Gaston County Board of Education I'm Jeff Ramsey

[5:27] chairman of the board and to my left is Doc chair or vice chair I would like to

[5:32] call this meeting to order and welcome everyone for being here today before we

[5:38] begin I'd like to ask the members of our board to introduce themselves Lee

[5:42] deadmond Gastonia Township Josh Chris Dallas Township Robbie LEL Cherryville

[5:47] Township Todd kinlaw South Point Township doc Guth Gastonia Township I

[5:53] Stevens Riverbend Township Brit Moore Crow Mountain Township thank you our

[5:59] next next order of business is adopt the agenda do I hear a motion to adopt the

[6:03] agenda Mr Moore second Mr Deadman all in favor that's unanimous the agenda is

[6:13] adopted our next order of business will require the board to go in the close

[6:18] session for personnel because there are so many in the audience we decided to

[6:24] have our closed session portion in our conference room and leave y'all

[6:31] here and hopefully we'll have some great music for

[6:35] you when when that has concluded we will

[6:40] return to the boardroom for this some exciting news related to our

[6:44] superintendent search thank you for being here and for your patience for the

[6:48] next few minutes so now I need a motion to go into close session Mr chair I'd

[6:54] like to make a motion to go into CL session under North Carolina General

[6:57] statute 1433 18.11 A6 for personnel second second Mr

[7:06] Steven all in favor that's unanimous we'll go in close

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[23:28] we're back in Open Session thank you for your patient as we conducted that

[23:34] portion of the meeting in the closed session we're now ready to move forward

[23:37] with the next item on the agenda the appointment of our new superintendent

[23:42] this is an action item and I do need a motion Mr chairman I move that we

[23:50] appoint Dr Morgan whoar to Ser superintendent of g county

[23:56] SCH

[24:17] [Applause] a

[24:22] second I I didn't finish let me start over I

[24:27] move we appoint Dr Morgan hoard to serve as superintendent of Gaston County

[24:31] Schools effective February 19th 2024 and that we approve the contract discussed

[24:37] in close session I second okay um any discussion U Miss L yes I would like uh

[24:47] to say for public record that my vote this evening uh is simply a reflection

[24:53] on the fact that I was not present during the time that that this was uh

[24:57] discussed and decided upon however going forward I would like to say that I will

[25:04] be supporting Dr hushard 100% in the future because I'm sure that everything

[25:10] he does will be the best decisions for Gaston County schools for the employees

[25:15] as well as for the students thank you okay anybody Mr Ken um Todd kenlaw South

[25:23] Point Township I'd like to read my statement the statement has no ill will

[25:27] or anything to do uh with the actual person who is to be named superintendent

[25:32] only the process as my colleague said of which this board used I want to go on

[25:37] record that this board was hijacked by members the process was not flawed and

[25:42] unfortunately this board handled this matter in an unethical way as far as I'm

[25:47] concerned this has been the biggest joke I've ever been associated with as I

[25:51] remember it takes five people to make a

[25:56] majority and we didn't do it in good faith as a

[26:00] board there was a majority in the initial process but we had members of

[26:04] this board who created controversy and Hoodwinked some of us and took advantage

[26:09] of people not being present during our meeting it can be better called a dirty

[26:16] process or I can call it underhanded I will not have any a part

[26:20] of it I'm not voting in favor of the superintendent for the

[26:24] record to

[26:29] show the flawed process like I said four of

[26:33] us hijacked the process I'm not voting tonight for the person because of the

[26:37] students and teachers of Gaston County deserve this board to be held to the

[26:41] highest standards the employees already have had to endure many issues created

[26:45] by this board of which I'm a part of I ran on transparency and credibility of

[26:50] my actions we have failed at our job to have credibility in this process it's

[26:55] not because that the superintend that has flaws it's because the flaws were

[27:00] created by this board I share this so that each one of

[27:04] you be held accountable for the actions you took the corners cut and the

[27:08] downright despicable process of hiring this

[27:11] gentleman our students our employees in this County deserve the best and we

[27:16] settled because there were some who didn't get your way the old take your

[27:19] ball and go home this way this process was hand the

[27:23] way this process was handled was not okay last month not okay last week not

[27:28] okay tonight when you refer to one of

[27:33] us um the old adages uh we haven't been here long enough to make this

[27:39] decision I take offense to that I'm going to stand up and I'm going to let

[27:43] you know I'm voting no this appointment tonight because not because of Thee the

[27:48] superintendent of record because simply the process was not

[27:55] followed okay I don't like getting my way is what was taken out of this and so

[28:01] we take our ball and go home as I said so that's why Mr hoard I will back you

[28:06] once the process but I wanted folks to know that I was hired on transparency

[28:10] and truth and credibility I wish you all the best and I'll stand with

[28:15] you m cther i value

[28:20] leadership and I hope that leadership values the community it

[28:26] serves I want want the community to know not just the person whom we are

[28:32] going to vote on tonight or have voted on

[28:36] already but leadership is knowing the community knowing the needs the

[28:43] community reaching out into the community to make assessment to truly

[28:51] serve our population of families to truly understand the needs of our

[28:59] children and where they are from and how to

[29:05] effectively communicate with all parents all children as you assess those

[29:14] Needs Trust is a very important word

[29:21] leadership is embedded in that trust and I hope

[29:27] that you will start DR hashad start off knowing the community

[29:35] Gaston County not just a special population but the population of Gaston

[29:44] County and sir I am willing to support you

[29:49] 100% but I W to know that our families are going to be supported by you thank

[29:56] you thank you Miss cther anyone else for a call for the vote just want to say

[30:02] real quick that um I share some of the other concerns that other board members

[30:07] have we did have a majority prior to uh a work session where our decision as a

[30:15] as a majority had been made and then hijacked that decision um but I will

[30:21] tell you this I'd be a lot more upset if it wasn't Morgan hoard I know he's going

[30:25] to do a fantastic job for County schools and uh I don't like the process that

[30:31] they they took to get there but I like the man that they chose and I'm excited

[30:36] to work with him and I know he's going to do what's best for Gaston County

[30:40] Schools okay anyone else okay all in

[30:53] favor I oppose

[31:00] okay well congratulations Dr Huard you have been

[31:07] [Applause]

[31:26] selected

[31:47] [Music] before we give uh Dr hhar opportunity to

[31:53] share some remarks with us I would like to say how fortunate

[31:57] we are to have him as the next leader of Gaston County schools during his

[32:03] successful career in public education Dr hushard has proven time after time that

[32:10] he possessed the knowledge skills and the expert expertise to serve us as

[32:16] superintendent he's been a classroom teacher assistant principal a principal

[32:23] a central office administrator with experience in academic mics curriculum

[32:30] accountability Personnel Transportation School nutrition technology facilities

[32:38] school safety and student service and others I think it I put bus driver and

[32:44] cafeteria worker so having experienced all these areas makes him well-rounded

[32:50] in our School District Operations he's always has significant knowledge of

[32:55] Gaston County Schools Dr hushard is the ideal person to serve as our

[33:01] superintendent and we are confident that he will take us in a new directions and

[33:06] began moving us forward right away so at this time I would like to give Dr

[33:11] hushard the opportunity to say a few words well thank you

[33:16] everyone thank you chairman Ramsey Vice chairman Cherry members of the board I

[33:22] would like to begin by expressing my gratitude and appreciation to the board

[33:26] of educ ation for giving me this opportunity and believing in my ability

[33:30] to serve as a superintendent for Gaston County Schools I truly honored I look

[33:37] forward to working with you all and I'm committed to doing

[33:41] everything I can to make our school system even

[33:44] stronger because I believe having strong schools is directly connected to the

[33:50] strength of our community and our nation when my daughter wife and I

[33:55] packed up our things to move to Gaston County Schools 8 years ago we were

[34:00] excited but we didn't know what to expect we did not know what would we

[34:05] find with Josie's teachers her school the school system or our new

[34:11] community I want to take a minute to tell you what we

[34:15] found we found teachers who deeply cared about their students and the teaching

[34:21] and learning that goes on in their classrooms we found teachers who

[34:26] challeng their students with high expectations and then worked to help

[34:31] them be successful and we found teachers who embraced their

[34:36] communities we found staff and school leaders who went above and beyond to

[34:40] help ensure that schools were safe and orderly for a learning

[34:46] environment they made teaching and learning the priority and the center of

[34:50] all things we found an active relationship with the community

[34:53] involving parents as a genuine part of the school culture and we found school

[34:58] pride we found the 10th largest school district in North Carolina that still

[35:03] felt and treated us as if it were one of the

[35:06] smallest we experienced District leadership and a board of education that

[35:11] worked hard to ensure schools were supported in their work by providing the

[35:15] best educational experience for students one were rigor relevance and Equity were

[35:22] Center of discussions and all decisions and we watched as parents

[35:28] community members partners and all stakeholders were involved in that

[35:32] process and we found a community that embraced us as Citizens and welcomed us

[35:38] to our new home I am so proud to be a part of the

[35:42] gon County schools and truly honored to be its next

[35:46] superintendent I want to thank you the Board of Education once again for your

[35:50] trust and the opportunity to lead this District I want students faculty staff

[35:58] administrators parents and the community to know how I'm how excited I am to be a

[36:03] part of the Gast and County Schools family I look forward to be able working

[36:09] with you all in the years to come thank [Applause]

[36:25] you

[36:56] as we close our meeting thank you for sharing this exciting time with us as we

[37:02] share with you a selection of our Gaston County Superintendent we look forward to

[37:08] the February the 19th when Dr whoar will take the lead until that

[37:15] time we remain grateful to Dr Steve L we can't get rid

[37:25] of [Applause]

[37:38] well the I I was getting ready to say Dr fer too is agreed to stay with the

[37:55] night

[37:59] so they'll be here until we get through the transition of February 19th our

[38:05] regular meeting will be in con our next regular meeting will be in conjunction

[38:09] with our board retreat will be held on Friday January 26

[38:15] 2024 while we have you here thank you for your support for this board and

[38:20] Gaston County school for what you do for our children in Gaston County y'all go

[38:24] the extra mile every day and we know it and we appreciate it so now I'd like to

[38:30] ask for a motion to adjourn Mr La Mr Chris

[38:34] second uh also we're going to have a little reception where y'all can meet

[38:39] with Morgan and everything thank y'all for being here all in favor recogniz

[38:45] Tam Tamar's here she's gonna be oh actually I'm

[38:49] sorry more you want to introduce your wife for

[38:53] [Laughter] us

[38:58] [Applause]

[39:12] language well all in favor for adjournment that's unanimous thank

[39:25] you

v Parks and Recreation Committee - 08 Jan 2024

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