(EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to print deadline constraints, this story will appear in the Thursday print edition of the Elizabethton Star)

The dismissal of two longtime Elizabethton City Schools employees was the topic of discussion early on during Tuesday’s Board of Education.

With several community members in attendance during the citizens’ comments portion of the meeting, Eddie Pless took to the podium to talk about his dismissal as athletic director at Elizabethton High School along with Mike Wilson – who also served as a basketball coach at T.A. Dugger Junior High School. Wilson was not in attendance at the meeting.

The series of events that led to Thursday’s meeting first started with the school system issuing a press release indicating there is an investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office in regards to allegations of misuse of funds. In the statement issued, Director of Schools Dr. Corey Gardenhour said, “We have made employment decisions based on what we know thus far, and we will continue to cooperate fully with investigators throughout the duration of the investigation.”

Due to the nature of a Comptroller’s investigation, no further information can be provided until a final report is released from their office. Just two days after the initial statement from the system, sources confirmed that Pless and Wilson were relieved of their duties as athletic directors at EHS. The Elizabethton Star received confirmation from the school system in regards to the dismissal in the school board packet that was issued for Tuesday’s meeting.

“I’m frustrated in the way this was handled. There isn’t much time to get into much detail,” Pless told the board. “There was a dismissal, a press release about an investigation then a press release about two athletic directors being terminated with our names attached. 71 years of service ended just like that.”

When speaking about his time with the school system, he added “there’s no way I would do anything intentionally to jeopardize that.”

“I’m the same person today that I was through those 34 years,” he added about his time of being an educator. “I didn’t change when I became an athletic director.”

Over the course of their time as athletic directors, Pless said that he and Wilson did everything they could to help ensure the programs at the school functioned accordingly.

“I know exactly what took place in my situation. I’ve been truthful in ever question that I’ve been asked, even though there have been attempts to ask other people to check my truth. Every decision I made in my six months as an athletic director was to ensure the program functioned. Every dime that came in to support athletics through tickets, donations, gifts and money out of Mike and mine’s pocket went to support the athletic program and to support athletics,” he said.

Pless went on to add that he believe this situation could have been fixable had Gardenhour spoke with him earlier during the process.

While adding that decisions like that make an impact in the community, Pless thanked the everyone for their support, including his wife.

“People in this community have been so kind. I appreciate their kind words and what they’ve done for me,” he said.

Following his comments to the board, Pless was treated to a standing ovation for several individuals in attendance.

Information from the Comptroller’s investigation will provided once it is made available to the Elizabethton Star.