The Clinton County Board of Education came close to securing a new board attorney during a call meeting on Monday night, March 18.

However, after a telephone call to their current attorney, and preceding on the side of caution, the board opted to table a motion and re-vote on the issue at another special call meeting later this week.

Board Chairman Kevin Marcum had advertised the special call meeting to local news media last Friday afternoon, three days ahead of the scheduled 5:30 p.m. session, which was called to consider the hiring of a board attorney.

The meeting came on the heels of a recent email request by a local citizen who had, without apparent authorization from the school board, asked a Jamestown attorney to consider taking the job.

That email was placed into the minutes of the board’s regular March 14 meeting and also a copy was handed to a reporter from the Clinton County News, which published a portion of the correspondence last week.

A few months ago, current attorney Angie Capps of Burkesville had informed the board that due to her heavy work load in Cumberland County, she would be stepping down as board attorney, but would continue to advise the board until they hired a full-time replacement.

During Monday’s meeting, three of four active board members, including Marcum and board members Sue Irwin and Bobbie Bair were present, along with Superintendent Charlotte Nasief.

One seat remains vacant until a replacement is named and board member Gary Norris was absent.

When it came time for the meeting to begin and after the roll call was taken, the board proceeded with the call meeting, with Marcum making a motion to hire a person to serve as board attorney, which was seconded by Irwin and passed by unanimous vote.

To err on the side of caution, however, the board agreed to have Superintendent Nasief contact Norris via phone and Norris informed the superintendent he had not been informed of the special meeting.

Nasief then contacted attorney Capps by phone, who advised the board to table action until all members could be present.

The action was then tabled until this coming Thursday, March 28 at 12 noon at the middle school, at which time the board will also tour that facility as well as holding a brief special meeting for the board position issue.

After a motion to adopt the agenda as presented was made by Bair and passed unanimously, the brief meeting was adjourned.

The person who Marcum recommended to fill the vacancy left by Capps will be published after another official vote of all four members is taken at the call meeting later this week and will be published in next week’s Clinton County News.