UPDATED: Potential school board members to make case to replace Sargeant on Tuesday

By Bryan Hanks

Six Lenoir County residents will make their case to become the next Lenoir County Public Schools board member at Tuesday night’s meeting.

The six residents will have five minutes each to make their presentation and then answer questions from current school board members. The six candidates are (in alphabetical order):

·      Richard Edward Bogan of St. George Place in Kinston

·      Dorian Rashaud Edwards of Sparre Drive in Kinston

·      Annette Davis Hawkins of Darby Avenue in Kinston

·      Anthony Kennedy of Oriental Avenue in Kinston

·      Dean Preston Sauls of Bryan Hardy Road in La Grange

·      Wandra Pickett Williams of Old English Lane in Kinston

Former board member Jon Sargeant resigned his seat in July when Gov. Roy Cooper named him a district court judge. Sargeant, a Democrat who was also the board chair, represented District 3 in a term set to end in November 2020. In accordance with the rules governing the replacement of a board member, the remaining board members are responsible for appointing the incoming member until an election can be held.

Since Sargeant’s resignation came too late to get a candidate on the 2018 ballot, the six current board members – chairman Keith King and vice chair Bruce Hill, along with W.D. Anderson, Billy Davis, Merwyn Smith and Elijah Woods – will decide via secret ballot who will become Sargeant’s replacement. That person will serve the remainder of Sargeant’s original term.

LCPS Superintendent Dr. Brent Williams said while he anticipates the replacement will be named at Tuesday’s meeting, it is possible the board could wait until a later date to make the decision.

Tuesday’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the school administration building, 2017 W. Vernon Ave. The public is invited to attend the meeting.

UPDATED AT 5:40 P.M., TUESDAY:

Anthony Kennedy withdrew his name for consideration for the position at 3:30 this afternoon.

Kennedy is a non-staff soccer coach at North Lenoir, where his daughter is a senior on the team. He said he had been assured when he filed that would not be an issue but was notified today he couldn't be on the board and be a coach in the LCPS system.

"I love the team and I couldn't do this to them," Kennedy told the Neuse News late this afternoon.