FRANKLIN—In an effort to save money, Franklin City Public Schools will not fill the assistant superintendent’s position after Dr. Rick Clemons leaves on June 30 to become superintendent of Northampton County Public Schools.

The school board, instead, will hire a director of human resources and administrative services, which were some of Clemons’ duties, said school board president Bill Scarboro.

“We envision that the HR professional will assume those responsibilities that Dr. Clemons managed,” Scarboro said.

Neither Scarboro or Superintendent Dr. Michelle Belle could say how much the district expects to save since the salary for the new position will be based on experience. Clemons is paid more than $90,000 annually.

“The goal would be to pay less money for a director than an assistant superintendent,” Belle said.

The board hopes to have someone on board soon; the application deadline was June 17.

Belle said some board members requested looking into hiring a director of human resources to save money.

“It was the right thing to do at this juncture,” Scarboro said.

Belle said she doesn’t see an issue with the change.

“The bottom line is the jobs he was doing still have to get done,” Belle said.