After nearly five months of failing to elect a chairman, the Rhea County School Board chose an unexpected leader Thursday night: Dale Harris.

Under normal circumstances, the board selects a chair and vice chair every September, but the vote deadlocked 4-4 between then-chairman Ron Masterson and then-vice chairman B.J. McCoy.
The board tied again in October, so a motion was made to abstain from voting for a chairman until a full, nine-member board was present.

On Thursday, only eight members attended the regular meeting, with Chip Pendergrass absent, but Bimbo McCawley called on the board to rescind the previous motion to vote with only a full board.

"One way or another, we need to get this behind us," he told fellow board members that evening.

Three members were nominated for the position: Harris, Masterson and McCoy. In the first round of votes, Carroll Henderson, Paul Hill and Masterson voted for Masterson; Bill Davault, McCawley and Maxine Moffett selected McCoy; no one voted for Harris; and Harris abstained.

Needing at least five raised hands to elect a chairman, the board took a second vote.
Masterson, Hill and Henderson vied for Masterson; McCoy received no votes; and the remaining voted for Harris.

"I didn't solicit this," Harris told the board. "There has been strife, and if it keeps the peace, I'll serve. I have respect for everyone here."

Harris explained that since he works in Chattanooga as a system-planning manager for Tennessee Valley Authority, he wouldn't be able to perform all the duties required as chairman, such as attending Rhea County Finance Committee meetings every Wednesday morning.

The board then voted for McCoy as vice chairman, with only two votes for Masterson by Henderson and Hill. McCoy said he would step in for obligations Harris cannot fulfill due to work conflicts.

Harris is in his first term on the board and is up for reelection this August, along with Masterson, Moffett, Hill and Davault.

McCoy has been serving on the school board since 2000, and this will be his third round as vice chair. He is a school resource officer for the Rhea County Sheriff's Department and is retired from work at a telephone company.

"Kids are my passion," he said.

Michelle Friesen can be reached at michelle.friesen@rheaheraldnews.com.