It took three rounds of voting to break a tie, but the city council appointed a new member to the school board this week.
On a 4-1 vote, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen appointed Vanessa Crowder to the Yazoo City Municipal School Board on Monday afternoon.
Crowder will replace trustee Deborah Crook, who was appointed to fill the vacancy when Herman Leach resigned a few years ago.
With Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. at first recusing himself from the voting process, two nominations made during the last city council meeting were removed before voting took place among the remaining city leaders.
Wardell Leach, who was nominated by Alderman Dr. Jack Varner, requested that his name be removed from the list. Alderman Ron Johnson also removed his nomination, Sir Johathan Rucker, because he did not live within the city limits.
Mayor Diane Delaware also nominated Patti Taylor Wright during this week’s board meeting.
With nominations closed, the potential candidates included Crowder, Lynn McCallister and Wright.
On 2-1 vote, with Johnson abstaining, McCallister was removed from the list; thus, leaving Crowder and Wright on the table.
With a split board, Brent was asked to return to the voting process to break the tie.
“I would ask that the alderman who recused himself to come in and vote under the rules of necessity as advised by the Mississippi Ethics Commission,” said Sarah O’Reilly-Evans, board attorney. “He would vote to break the tie and ensure that we get a nominee.”
Crowder won the nomination on a 4-1 vote with Delaware opposing.
Delaware said she had “respect” for Crowder, but she simply wanted to remain true to her vote for Wright, who she nominated earlier in the meeting.
Crowder will now serve on the school board for a five-year term.
The board asked O’Reilly-Evans to research the exact date that Crowder can assume her post. But the city leaders said she would begin in March.
The city council also thanked Crook for her service to the school board.
