The process to hire a new superintendent for Wayne County Schools began last Monday night, when the school board met in special session and Board Vice Chairperson Perry Elam was appointed to represent them on the screening committee that will review applicants for the position.

The appointment of Elam was recommended by chairperson Patty Roberts and was approved by the board.

During Monday’s meeting, the board also discussed the screening committee process that will be used to fill the position left vacant with Superintendent John Dalton’s retirement on May 31. Dalton announced his retirement during a school board meeting held earlier in January.

State law requires the local board to establish a screening committee to review applicants and to make recommendations to the Board of Education. The board is required to consider the recommendations of the committee, but is not required to appoint a superintendent from among the recommendations of the committee.

The committee has the opportunity to screen all applicants. It is up to the board to inform the committee on everything, from the qualifications they are seeking to the time frame for the search.

The screening committee will be composed of: two teachers, elected by the teachers; one board member, appointed by the board chairman; one principal, elected by the principals of the district; one parent, elected by the presidents of the parent-teacher organizations in the district; and one classified employee, elected by the classified employees of the district.

The new superintendent’s appointment may be for a term of one, two, three or four years. After the completion of the superintendent’s first contract, the board can extend the contract of the superintendent in one year increments.

The board also agreed to seek assistance from the Kentucky School Board Association with this process. Dalton noted that the KSBA provides this type of service and though it costs $6,000, he recommended the board employ the help of KSBA through the process.

“I think it is a good investment in this process,” stated Dalton.

The KSBA consultant who will be working with the Wayne County Board of Education is Tim Eaton, a retired superintendent from Pulaski County.

Dalton said that Eaton would like to meet with the board soon to determine goals, timelines and characteristics for superintendent candidates.

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The man that Monticello Police have been looking for in regard to an alleged shooting incident has been indicted by the Wayne County Grand Jury.

The grand jury met on Tuesday, January 21 and returned an indictment against MacArthur Douglas Young, also known as John Young, charging him with criminal attempt to commit murder, wanton endangerment first degree and persistent felony offender second degree.

The indictment stems from an incident on December 19, when officials allege that Young was involved in a plan that would culminate in the murder of an individual.

The indictment also alleges that Young fired a rifle at individuals in that same incident.

The Monticello Police Department issued a bulletin last month seeking information on the whereabouts of Young, and he has still not been apprehended.

Anyone with information should contact the police department.

Three other individuals were also indicted in connection with that same incident. Terry L. Lowe and Bobby Kay Coomer, Jr. were indicted for complicity to attempted murder for allegedly conspiring with Young. Jamie Sweet was indicted for hindering apprehension.

Lowe was additionally charged with persistent felony offender.

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Contraband was found during a routine search of daily mail at the Wayne County Detention Center, according to Jailer Ray Upchurch.

Upchurch stated that during the search of a card sent to an inmate an unknown substance was found.

He believes that the substance was Suboxene.

Upchurch contacted the Monticello Police Department to take custody of the piece of mail and send it to the lab in London to be tested.

Upchurch stated that all incoming mail is searched daily before it is passed out to the inmates. All seals and stamps are also removed.

He pointed out that anyone trying to get drugs into the detention center through the mail may face local and federal charges.

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The Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force executed an arrest warrant on Lee Floyd Bebley, of Monticello, on Friday, January 24.

Bebley was charged with two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance first degree.

He was also charged with trafficking in a controlled substance first degree and trafficking in a controlled substance second degree.

The task force was assisted by Operation UNITE and the Monticello Police Department.