Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Franklin City Council held a public hearing Nov. 28 to field nominations to fill the Ward 4 seat on the Franklin City School Board, but no nominations were made.

The Ward 4 seat became vacant after Marchelle F. Williams resigned. Ward 1 Board Member and Board Chair Robert Holt stated that Williams’ resignation was effective Oct. 17.

Williams had served on the school board for more than five-and-a-half years. She was appointed to fill a vacancy from a resignation in December 2016, reappointed to a full three-year team in 2018 and then reappointed again in 2021. Her current term is due to expire at the end of June 2024.

While introducing the Nov. 28 public hearing, Franklin City Manager Amanda C. Jarratt noted that the individual selected to fill the current vacancy will fill the rest of the unexpired term through June 30, 2024.

“No one can be considered for the school board unless their name is submitted during this public hearing,” she said. “The individual themselves does not have to be present, but someone needs to step forward during the public hearing to submit their name.”

She stated that after nominations are made, the council has historically scheduled interviews with the nominees.

“That’s certainly at the discretion of City Council, so once you conduct the public hearing and receive any nominations this evening, you can provide direction to staff on whether you would like to schedule interviews or not,” she said.

THE PUBLIC HEARING

Franklin Mayor Frank M. Rabil then opened the public hearing, asking three times if there were any nominations for the Ward 4 seat on the Franklin City School Board.

The council chambers were silent, and no one came forward.

“Hearing none and seeing none, I will close the public hearing,” he said.

Jarratt said, “So, we will have to re-advertise.”

She noted that the advertisement for the public hearing must be posted in The Tidewater News at least 10 days before the hearing itself, making it likely impossible for the hearing to happen at the council’s December meeting.

“It’ll have to be done in the January time frame, I believe, to get enough time for the notice,” Rabil said.

APPEALS TO WARD 4 CITIZENS

“I think it becomes incumbent upon us to please ask people to give us some serious consideration,” Rabil said. “We need people on that school board. They’re doing a good job, so we need them on there.”

At the Franklin City School Board’s Dec. 1 meeting, Ward 6 Board Member Jerry McCreary addressed the Ward 4 vacancy during the Business by School Board Members agenda item.

“We need a new member for Ward 4, and I understand from a city council member that there’s been no nomination,” he said. “I’m addressing the public right now, so community residents of Ward 4, I encourage you to find a representative for your schools. So I’m just saying to bring that up as a need and encouragement for the citizens of Ward 4.”