FRANKLIN—In a 3-2 vote, the Franklin City Public School Board voted Thursday night at a called meeting to inform Superintendent Dr. Michelle Belle that her contract would not be renewed after June 30, 2014.

There is a stipulation in her contract that she be informed 6-months before June 30, 2014, what the intent of the board was. In December, the board voted to inform Belle that her contract would be renewed provided she meet three stipulations, and one of those was a satisfactory division level review.

After going into closed session to discuss the performance of a specific individual, Ward 1 board member Will Councill offered this motion:

“I make a motion that the school board authorize Mrs. King to send a letter to Dr. Belle informing her that because the division level review was not satisfactory, the school board does not intent to renew Dr. Belle’s contract as the school superintendent after June 30, 2014.”

The motion was seconded by Nancy Godwin, ward 2, and Councill, Godwin and Dawna Walton, ward 6, voted in favor of it, while Edna King, chairwoman, and Sherita Ricks-Parker, ward 4, voted no. Jeanette Austin, ward 5, abstained from voting, and Johnetta Nichols, ward 3, was absent.

King declined to comment. Councill had one thing to say following the meeting.

“It was just time for a change,” he said.

For more information, see the Sunday print edition of The Tidewater News.