The Taylorville School District met Wednesday night in front of a packed crowd. They discussed various topics, including the Interim Superintendent of Schools, the financial report, and the ongoing building development on the east side of Taylorville High School.

The board started the meeting with the pressing issue of the lack of a superintendent of schools for the next school year, following the retirement announcement of former superintendent Dr. Chris Dougherty, effective June 30th of this year. The discussion began with Dr. Ronald Mizer expressing his displeasure with the time wasted in delaying the start of the search. Mizer also raised major concerns about proceeding with an interim superintendent, citing concerns about finding a permanent superintendent in a similar situation next spring or hiring one now and being unable to Hire them.

Carla Mickey raised the question to the board if there were any internal candidates for the position, but the board did not believe there were any suitable candidates. Tricia Marberger expressed her dissatisfaction with the process and the length of time it had taken to reach this point. Brenda Patrick mentioned that the interim superintendent would be considered a one-year position. Patrick had been in contact with the Illinois School Board and mentioned the availability of several retired superintendents for a one-year basis.

Dr. Mizer stated that he believed this was the first time the Taylorville School District had considered an interim superintendent. The vote passed 5-2, with Norris and Marbarger voting no.

The board then discussed their requirements for a superintendent. The main themes that emerged were building and finance. The interview dates for the prospective candidates were set for Saturday, June 15th, with a backup date of Sunday, June 16th. Both decisions were approved by the board.

The meeting then moved on to a brief finance report, with the main discussion focusing on the funds available for the building project on the east side of Taylorville High School. Initially, the board had planned for $13 million to be allocated for the project. However, they recognized the need for additional funding and aimed to raise $18 million through fundraising efforts. Unfortunately, they fell significantly short, raising only $150,000. This led to a discussion about the possibility of using the remaining $5 million from the Education Fund. Dr. Mizer and the finance committee engaged in a heated conversation, with Dr. Mizer arguing for the use of the missing $5 million, while the finance committee stressed the importance of leaving the Education Fund untouched for safety. This concluded the finance committee report.