A new member of the McComb school board took the oath of office Tuesday despite a court effort to remove her from the board because she lives outside McComb.
Evelle Thomas-Dillon, placing her hand on a Bible held by Monique Gilmore, repeated the oath from board attorney Kashonda Day. Afterward she moved from a seat in the audience to one at the board’s U-shaped table, but did not vote on anything or ask any questions.
Thomas-Dillon said afterward she did not participate because her performance bond covering any actions she takes on the board had not yet taken effect.
The McComb city board appointed Dillon to the school board in April. But the school district went to Pike County Chancery Court on Monday, seeking an injunction against her joining the board. It said state law requires at least 30% of a municipal school district’s student body to live outside a city before two of the five school board members can be residents of that “added territory.”
The district’s lawsuit against the city board said only 16% of its students live outside McComb. Angela Bates was elected by non-McComb residents of the school district in 2020 to represent them.
After the meeting, Thomas-Dillon said, “The only thing I want to say is, as a parent in the McComb School District, all I want to do is help improve a D-rated school and not have the board micro-manage the schools, because that’s what’s happening now.
“And to hire a lawyer to fight an appointment — take that money and put it back into the school district.”
Thomas-Dillon said she is not mad the district has gone to court, but she is upset that “people in the community knew about the lawsuit” before she did. She said no one from the school contacted her in advance of the lawsuit being filed.
The city board voted Tuesday to file a response to the district's lawsuit, saying its appointment of Thomas-Dillon is proper.
Superintendent Dr. Cederick Ellis was among several school officials who had no comment about the case.
In another matter, trustee Lynn Martin’s persistence in exploring the idea of a police department operated by the school district finally paid off. The board voted to take a survey of students, parents and the public to see what they think of the proposal.
At the start of the meeting, Martin sought approval to amend the agenda to discuss the police department.
The board voted 3-1 to add the topic, with only chairman Kizzy Coney opposed.
When the item came up near the end of the meeting, Martin said one thing she wants the survey to address is whether people feel safe in schools, especially since action on establishing a police department has been delayed for several months.
All four trustees voted in favor of the survey. Ellis said he will discuss the topic with security director Marcus Gatlin and his staff.
In other matters the board:
• Approved readvertising for architectural and engineering services for three projects: the planned addition of eight classrooms and a multi-purpose gym at Summit Elementary School, for 2019 storm damage repairs at Denman Junior High School and other buildings, and for the replacement of the track at C.C. Moore Stadium, which has been damaged by fallen trees.
• Approved 17 student transfers, including nine to North Pike, six to South Pike and two to Franklin County.
