By Bill Short
Because of his increased business responsibilities, Millington School Board member Mark Coulter stated publicly last week that he had decided to resign from the board.
While announcing his decision at the end of the board’s Feb. 1 meeting, he cited a need to focus more attention on Par-Cou, the local business he co-owns, which has recently experienced significant growth.
Expressing “much regret” in a Jan. 26 letter to board Chairman Chris Denson, Coulter stated that his resignation would be effective on Feb. 10.
“My other commitments have become too great for me to be able to fulfill the requirements of my position on the board,” he wrote. “I feel it is best for me to make room for someone with the time and energy to devote to the job.”
Coulter was initially elected in November 2016 to a four-year term in School Board Position 3 and was re-elected on Nov. 3, 2020.
In his letter, he said the experience had been “a great pleasure” for him.
“I am so proud of all we have accomplished together in the past four years,” he wrote. “I have no doubt the board will continue these successes in the future.”
He told Denson not to “hesitate to ask” if he can be “of any assistance” during the transition.
In his remarks at the Feb. 1 meeting, Coulter said the past four years have been a “ride,” during which his fellow board members have helped him learn “a whole lot” about school districts and what the board “stands for.”
“It’s never been easy,” he acknowledged. “But I see us down the road getting 100-percent better than it was when I first came on.”
While expressing appreciation to the district’s teachers for “fighting for what they believe in,” Coulter said they have “a great board, superintendent and staff” to support them.
He thanked his fellow board members for serving and urged them to “continue to push” the superintendent and staff to be even better.
At its meeting on Monday night, the Millington Board of Mayor and Aldermen adopted a resolution declaring that a vacancy in School Board Position 3 would become effective on Feb. 10.
A motion offered by Alderman Thomas McGhee and seconded by Alderman Jon Crisp was passed by six affirmative votes, with Alderman Don Lowry absent.
Under Section 1-508 of the Millington Municipal Code, vacancies that occur on the School Board are filled through appointment by the city board.
Shortly before the vote, City Finance Director John Trusty said the resolution allows applicants to submit resumes’ to the “office” that will be forwarded to the aldermen for consideration at their March 8 meeting.
The appointed person will serve until a successor is chosen at the next general election for which candidates have sufficient time to qualify “under applicable law.”
