With a vacancy currently existing on the Carter County Board of Education, members of the county’s Nominating Committee discussed the process for appointing an individual to fill that seat during the group’s meeting on Monday.

Former County Board of Education member Steve Hyder, who had represented the county’s 7th District, had to resign from his position on the Board recently after moving out of the district. He also withdrew from his re-election bid in the upcoming August County General Election.

During the Board of Education’s April meeting, BOE Chairman Rusty Barnett announced Hyder’s resignation and informed his fellow Board members that the County Commission would appoint someone to fill the remainder of Hyder’s term of office, which will expire on August 30.

On Monday evening, the appointment of a new member of the BOE representing the 7th District was the only item on the agenda.

Nominating Committee Vice Chairman Isaiah Grindstaff, who presided over the committee’s meeting, informed the committee that the appointment would need to be made by the full Commission during their meeting on May 21.

Nominating Committee member Commissioner Sonja Culler asked if the Commission needed to appoint someone to fill the seat for such a short term since the election will be held on August 2.

“We have to appoint somebody,” County Attorney Josh Hardin said.

With appointments to fill vacancies in offices such as a county commissioner or a constable, Hardin said the law has time frames in place to follow which allow vacancies occurring close to the election to remain unfilled. That is not the case with vacancies on the County Board of Education, according to Hardin.

“The statute says at the next regular meeting or a special called meeting,” Hardin said.

Grindstaff told the committee two individuals had submitted paperwork asking to be considered for the appointment to the BOE’s 7th District seat — Josh Hubbard and Creola Miller.

Those applicants will be presented to the full Commission on May 21. Nominations for the appointment will come from the Commission floor, and then the full Commission will vote to set the appointment.

Both Hubbard and Miller have qualified as candidates in the August 2 election seeking the 7th District Board of Education seat.